


I Won't Tell

by SybilSlytherin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: And I'm okay with that., Angst, Complete, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Fred Weasley Lives, I just don't accept their deaths., I'm in a state of constant conscious denial, Lemon, Romance, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-15
Updated: 2016-01-15
Packaged: 2018-04-04 12:42:00
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 39,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4137984
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SybilSlytherin/pseuds/SybilSlytherin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Hermione and Harry are dealing with Ron's leaving them, one of the last people they would want to discover them apparates yards away from their tent.<br/>Oddly enough, this person ends up being more than they would expect of him, and precisely what Hermione needs after being abandoned by Ron.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This is my first fanfic ever, so please be patient and kind with me as I figure this out. Any encouragement and feedback is most appreciated. So excited to hear what you think, hopefully this is as entertaining for you to read as it is for me to think about. I'll post each chapter as soon as I've finished writing them, you won't go weeks between chapters, I promise.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfic ever, so please be patient and kind with me as I figure this out. Any encouragement and feedback is most appreciated. So excited to hear what you think, hopefully this is as entertaining for you to read as it is for me to think about. I'll post each chapter as soon as I've finished writing them, you won't go weeks between chapters, I promise.
> 
> This first chapter is just the beginning, it will pick up, I promise. :)

Hermione sat alone in their empty tent, lying on her bed hugging her knees to her chest. Harry sat outside on his shift keeping watch. Hermione listened to the sounds of outside, interrupted every once in a while with an exasperated sigh from Harry.

The reason behind the sighs was bound to be from Ron’s recent deserting of their task of finding horcruxes. They were both feeling his absence wear down on their already crumbling psychological stability. Over the last few weeks Hermione could often be found in her bed like today, her pillow stuck to her cheek with dried tears.

After her night shift of playing guard of the tent, she made them a rudimentary breakfast of tea and toast. After tea she tried to read more of her Tales of Beedle the Bard, which she hadn’t been able to open since Ron had left.  


As she picked the book out of her bag, she found a page had been dog-eared to save a page. The sight of the careless damage to a book was enough to make her temper flare, but being reminded of Ron’s irritating habit despite her constant urging was enough to set her off on another sobbing session on her bed.

How could he have left them? Was he really so uncaring about their task at hand that he would abandon them to the dangerous work of finding and destroying pieces of Voldemort’s soul? Leaving them one less person, more vulnerable to the Snatchers and Death Eaters hunting them?  


And when they had been getting so close to going beyond friendship. The accidentally-on-purpose brushing of his fingers on hers when grabbing parchment. Teaching her how to skip stones on the lake, Hermione leaning into his embrace, his lips brushing her earlobe, smiling when he’d tell her “Swish and flick. Just like first year, eh ‘Mione?”

Especially after that time at Grimmauld Place. Harry was brooding in the kitchen, watching the Marauder’s Map. Hermione and Ron sat at the piano. Ron watched Hermione’s slight and elegant fingers gracefully gliding across the keys, playing effortlessly, smiling with the corner of her mouth the way she did when she felt smug.  
“You’ve just got a way with things, haven’t you?” he said quietly, grinning as she turned to look at him.  
“My mum would spend hours with me with the piano, teaching me how to hold my hands just right,” she told him. Ron was surprised, that was the first time she’d spoken about her parents since they’d been away. It seemed to occur to Hermione as well, when she bit her bottom lip and her eyes welled up with tears.  


“Hey,” Ron said, closing the small space between them to use one arm to wrap around her waist holding her against him. He used his other to reach over and wipe away her tears.    


“I’ll have none of that. When this is all over, we’ll go find them. You’ll see them again,” he assured her, making her meet his gaze. She nodded, cracking a smile. She placed her hand over his own on her cheek. His warm protective embrace was enough to make her longing for her parents fade away again. His eyes flickered from her eyes to her lips. She noticed a shift as he smiled a bit and started to lean forward.  


She leaned in and their lips met, gently. Ron’s lips grazed hers gently and tenderly, and Hermione placed her hand on his cheek.  


“Guys,” Harry walked into the room and they broke apart before he saw. But Ron kept his arm around her waist and kissed the top of her head as Harry joined them in the living room to discuss their next move.

How could he leave after that? Hermione wondered. Was he actually jealous, thinking something was going on between her and Harry?  


The longer Hermione thought about Ron, the more anger began to outweigh the sadness she felt. She considered the dog-earing of her books despite requests and rants about not vandalizing her most valued possessions, and so easily abandoning her and their blooming relationship. She remembered fourth year where he shunned Harry out of jealousy and made her carry messages between the two of them. This was not the first time Ron had let his jealousy or insecurities get between him and his friends.

This thought gave her the strength to wipe away her tears and relax in bed. She pulled the quilt over her shoulder and let her swollen eyes fall closed and get some much needed sleep.

Hermione had been asleep for half an hour when Harry heard the sound of someone apparating.  


“Fuck,” Harry swore under his breath, stood up and pulled his wand out of his back pocket. A figure stumbled and fell on their knees, less than 10 yards away from their tent. He could hear sobbing coming from the figure as he crouched on his hands and knees. Harry held his wand out in front of him and strained his eyes trying to make out who it could be.

The figure wore black robes and had platinum blond hair. Harry’s immediately felt his heart fall into his stomach as panic set in.

Malfoy.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry watched the figure that was Malfoy from where he stood guarding the tent, under the cover of the protective enchantments, ensuring that outsiders couldn’t see them. They had discovered however, the sound protection did not always work, so they needed to keep quiet. 

He was on his hands and knees and appeared to be carrying a knapsack on his back, and sobbing. The kind of crying that rips out of your chest, aching, out of your control. The kind that leaves you unable to regulate your own breathing, feeling lightheaded and nauseas.  
After a couple of minutes, Malfoy gathered himself and stood up, peering around to check his surroundings. When he glanced in his direction, Harry held his breath, waiting for Draco to look away. Malfoy’s unwavering stare stayed longer than Harry found comfortable, before looking away and shaking his head. He took off his knapsack and kneeled down on the ground.  
Harry took this opportunity to dive back into the tent. His heart was still beating, rising to where he felt it would leap out of his throat. He paced around the front of the tent, hearing Hermione’s soft snoring. 

Why was the git even here? Harry wondered. Did he know they were there, was he tracking them? Would he just wait till they revealed themselves and then he’d take them back to Malfoy Manor?  
Harry pondered their options, putting off waking Hermione to give her as much sleep as possible. If they packed up camp and moved to a new location, the packing up would remove the charms keeping them protected. If they stayed, they were basically trapped, unable to move out of the small radius the enchantments covered without being visible. Would cursing him from afar work? Harry wondered. If they stupefied him and then made the run for it, would that be enough to get away? No, the ferret would hear his voice, or even see him since he’d need to get close enough to get his wand within range.  
He was useless in this dispute without Hermione’s brain, he decided, and needed to wake her up. 

“Hermione?” he said softly, laying a hand gently on her shoulder. Her round brown eyes slowly opened, heavy with sleep. She blinked the sleep away, her long dark lashes finally dry after days of crying. They widened with dread when she saw Harry leaning over her. 

“What is it?” she demanded, sitting upright and getting out of bed. Harry pressed one finger to his lips, indicating they needed to speak quietly. 

“Malfoy. Outside.” 

Hermione froze. 

“Where?” she whispered, clutching her chest. 

“About 10 yards away, he just apparated suddenly. Should we pack up?”

“If he’s that close, he’d see us. We can’t apparate under the enchantments, and we have to lift them before we leave.” Hermione tied her thick golden hair up in a loose bun as she began to think, her brow furrowing. 

“Shit.” Harry sat down at the table and ran his hands through his hair. Hermione stood staring into space, her hands on her waist. Minutes passed of tense silence, before Hermione spoke again. 

“What is he even doing?”

He rubbed his eyes under his glasses and replied. “It looked like he was crying. He collapsed on all fours. He has a bag with him.”

Hermione’s brow furrowed further. She turned around and headed out of the tent, hands still poised defiantly on her hips. Harry jumped up to follow her. 

They stood right in front of the opening flap and watched their school day adversary. The pale haired boy had a notebook out on his lap and was leaning against a tree, using his bag as a cushion under his back, appearing to be sketching. He had taken off his black robes and was wearing muggle clothes, a dark green sweater and dark jeans, with gray converse. He looked so normal, Hermione thought. Without all the black he didn’t look as emaciated as he had the last couple years. 

What was a ferret like Draco Malfoy doing on a random mountain, sitting against a tree, sketching in a fucking notebook? Hermione began to creep forward, slowly. 

“Hermione!” Harry called in a hushed voice. 

Hermione shushed him and continued walking forward, pulling out her wand to hold against her side. As she got closer the rocks began to crunch under her brown lace up boots. When she was about 2 yards away, a strong breeze blew past her, making goosebumps pop up on her neck under her long sleeved teal v-neck. The boy broke his gaze from his sketchbook and laid his head back against the tree, closing his eyes and exhaling. 

“Granger, I can hear your boots crunching on the ground and I can smell your scent. You’re a terrible sneak,” Malfoy called, looking back to his notebook. 

Hermione’s heart stopped and she gasped when he spoke. She froze in place, unable to move forward but too far to turn back now. 

After a few minutes Malfoy looked in her general direction again. 

“I can tell you’re close, I can't tell where exactly. You lot are not my concern. I’m not here to hex you and I’m assuming Weaselbee and Potter and drag you back to the Manor. I’m just here for some peace and quiet.” 

Hermione couldn’t hold in her scoff. She hesitated. But her insolent lip won out. "Yes, because that’s very consistent with your personality and overall existence, Malfoy.”  
He smirked, going back to his sketching.

“You can choose to not believe me. You’re the one who will be trapped in their camp for days if you decide not to trust me.”

What the hell was happening?  
Malfoy might have been a complete git, not to mention a Death Eater, not lacking racist, misogynistic, general asshole tendencies, but Hermione watched the boy sitting there sketching, and couldn’t find a hint of the darkness that usually lurked in his eyes. 

She held her breath, trying to talk herself out of this.

“Where’s your wand, Malfoy?” she demanded.

“In my pack,” he replied, not looking up. 

“Hold it out. In front of you.” 

He looked up and paused. He shrugged slightly, and set aside his notebook. He pulled his bag on to his lap and rummaged through it until he pulled out his wand. He held it in his hand for a moment, questioning himself. But he held it out at arms-length. 

Hermione stepped forward and snatched it out of his hand. She stuck it in the waistband of her jeans, keeping hers out and armed in front of her.  
Taking a deep breath, she stepped past the translucent barrier that marked the end of their protective radius, and stood feet away from the boy who had threatened her with death countless of times, called her a mudblood, and whose entire family wanted nothing more than to capture her and her two best friends. 

Draco Malfoy looked up at the now visible Hermione, and nodded at her in greeting, smirking his trademark smirk. She sat down on the ground a couple of feet away from him, crossing her legs, holding her wand out in front of her. 

“What the fuck are you doing here, ferret?” she interrogated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione gets some answers from Draco.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These initial chapters are hard to write, but I need to set the story up. I'm not completely happy with this chapter, but as it goes on, I'll become happier. The next chapter will be better, when I post it later today. Thank you everyone, and keep leaving me kudos and messages! You guys have made this so exciting for me. <3 :)

“What the fuck are you doing here, ferret?” she interrogated.

“Ooh let’s keep the names friendly, or I’ll use some of my own charming names for you, Granger,” Malfoy warned, raising an eyebrow. 

Hermione rolled her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she repeated.

Malfoy shrugged, and then gestured to the air around him. “Being free. I can do whatever I want.” 

Hermione furrowed her brow. “Why aren’t you back at home with your whole Death-Eater family, doing Death-Eater things?” 

“Who says I’m not out here doing Death-Eater things?” he mocked. He leaned his head against the tree, keeping his eyes on Hermione. She looked exhausted, he thought. But even the look of absolute fatigue could not way down on Hermione’s natural beauty. Her warm golden brown eyes, were encircled by a faint shadow, showing how she was barely sleeping. But they were still her bright doe-eyes, searching Draco for answers. Her plump pink lips were pursed slightly, and her nostrils of her perfect nose flared with stress.

“Are you?” Hermione insisted

“Why would I tell you that, Granger? And do we need to have this whole inquisition, we both don’t want to be found, can we just trust each other?” Malfoy pleaded, exasperatedly. Why couldn’t he have apparated anywhere else? He had to escape the manor, not caring where he went, and of course landed with the insufferable Granger.  
Hermione jumped to her feet. “Why in the hell would I trust you, Malfoy?! When the second I reveal something you’ll take me to Vold-“  
She couldn’t finish the name before Malfoy leapt up to cover her mouth.

“Don’t say the name,” he seethed, using his hand to cover her mouth. “He’s tracking people that way.”  
Hermione’s eyes widened in fear. Malfoy’s threatening position had her heart pounding. Draco felt her fear, and carefully stepped away, removing his hand. Hermione lifted her wand to point at Malfoy. The boy sat back down, giving her space. Why was he acting so peculiar, Hermione wondered.

“Why wouldn’t you want me to say his name? Revealing myself? You’d be rewarded, I’m sure, for handing us over.” Hermione prodded, softly. 

“I don’t exactly want to see him either. Believe it or not, having him in your house all the time is stressful enough.” Draco admitted, trembling slightly at the thought of being near the cold and severe dark wizard haunting his home. 

Hermione was so confused. Why wouldn’t Draco be honored to have his Dark Lord using his house as his base? 

“Your family isn’t happy with him there?” she asked quietly. 

Malfoy looked straight into her eyes. “Oh they are.”

“Then why-“ she started

“I’m not,” he cleared up. 

They sat in silence, as Hermione sat back on the ground with him. A tear fell from Malfoy’s eye and Hermione looked in shock. Her heart softened, beginning to really believe his words.

“How did you get out?” she whispered. 

He covered his face with his hands and answered, muffled behind his hands. 

“My mother smuggled me out.” His shoulders shook as a sob ripped through his chest. 

Hermione felt the urge to wrap her arms around him. She fought it, watching this boy collapse in front of her. 

Hermione had always been the most compassionate towards Draco out of the trio. Hermione could see the boy inside him wanting to do the good thing, being torn apart by his family’s pressure on him. It was why she was so unable to believe Harry when he said he saw Draco become a Death Eater. She had seen him crumble in the hallway sixth year, and later she knew why. His task of killing Dumbledore was impossible for him. And now he was couldn’t even be at home without Voldemort being a constant presence. Her heart broke for him, baffling herself as she remembered all of his awful taunting and threats at school. 

Despite this, Hermione scooted closer, and laid her hand on his knee for a split second before whipping it back. She got comfortable being closer to him and watched him weep. She couldn’t believe he was letting her see him this way, so raw and vulnerable. If she was honest with herself, watching him this way made her much less afraid of him and much more aware of him as a peer, recognizing the sounds of tearful agony as her own from the past few weeks. She understood he was just an 18 year old kid like her, not wanting to be given such daunting tasks when they should be having their last couple of magical years at Hogwarts. 

Draco sniffled and composed himself. His eyes and nose were red on his pale face. Did she really touch him? he questioned. 

“I’d like to strike a deal, Granger,” he told her, rubbing his face.

Hermione just stared into his eyes, her expression unreadable.

“When I’m inevitably forced to return home, I won’t relay any tales of running into you, I won’t reveal your location or anything,” he began, watching her face to try to read her thoughts. 

“But you have to trust me, and you can’t tell anyone you saw me either. I’d be killed if I was found out,” he finished. 

Hermione bit her lip, hesitant. She wasn’t completely assured he was being completely honest. She tried to prove to herself he was lying, searching his face for a flicker of falsehood. But all she saw was a raw, broken Malfoy, begging for secrecy between them. 

“Okay,” she whispered. 

Malfoy nodded, a little smile appearing on his face. 

“Thank you,” he told her earnestly. She nodded, hugging her knees to her chest. She wasn’t convinced that she hadn’t just made a mistake, but chose to trust him. She got the chills, wondering how she could ever have grown to think Malfoy was such an honest trustworthy person. 

More silence passed between them. The morning was beginning to warm up, and they began to hear birds chirping. The sun warmed them, and Malfoy reveled in the warm light. The manor was always so cold and dark, the sun felt amazing on his skin. Draco broke the silence.

“I haven’t been outside in two weeks,” he said out loud. 

Hermione looked back at the Slytherin boy. “What?”

“I haven’t been allowed to leave the manor,” he explained, looking down at his hands, twiddling his thumbs. “He’s had us on lock down, basically. And my father is at his side at all times.”

Hermione shook her head in disbelief, not responding. She continued sitting with him, not wanting to leave him alone, partly because she didn’t trust him 100%, and partly because she didn’t want him to be alone. 

“Would you want to come in the tent?” she asked hesitantly. She figured if she was going to trust him, this would be the next step. Plus, she wanted to get him inside and feed him. He looked so weak even just sitting there.

Malfoy’s head snapped up, incredulous at her offer. She was looking at him very straightforwardly. She fucking meant it, he thought. He looked beyond her, where she had appeared from. Should I? he wondered.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Draco hang out a little longer outside, finding they actually enjoy each other's company

"Is Potter in there?" he asked, taking serious tone.

Hermione didn't respond, just keeping her eyes on him. She relied on herself to be able to handle him if he tried something once he was in the tent, but flat out telling him where Harry was, was not something she could make herself do. 

He took her silence to mean yes. Dealing with trying to get Potter to trust him did not sound like something that could be done, or even something he felt like making the effort in. Plus if he was tortured when he got home, he wouldn't want recent images of Potter in his head. What a cheerful precaution I must undertake, Draco thought bitterly.

Malfoy shook his head. "No I better not come in. I'll keep my distance."

Granger nodded, pursing her lips. Her lingering bits of doubt of Malfoy were disappearing bit by bit. 

"Do you have a tent?" she asked, looking at his pack.

He shook his head. "Nah, I'll just rough it." Malfoy, the spoiled prat, sleeping on the hard ground? Hermione highly doubted he would follow through on that. But all the same, her maternal instincts, that she felt so strongly even at 17, were troubled.

Hermione frowned at him, not liking the thought of him outside in the cold.

Malfoy smirked. "Is the Princess of Gryffindor worried about me?" he mocked. 

Hermione rolled her eyes. Oh how quick he'd see her concern vanish if he kept up with that.

"I'm touched," Malfoy continued, pretending to have his voice crack with emotion.

"Watch yourself, Malfoy," Hermione threatened. "I'm still the witch who slugged you third year."

"I believe it was I who 'slugged' Weasley second year," he chuckled, waggling his eyebrows.

Hermione laughed out loud, despite herself.

Malfoy marvelled at her laugh, only finding himself able to compare it to the sound of the sweetest bell, pleasant as the sound of wind chimes on a warm summer day.

"I don't think you can quite claim that, I think it was his own spell that rebounded, since he fucked his wand up," she pointed out.

"Oh I remember," he chuckled again

The sound of Malfoy's low chuckle was not a sound she'd heard before. Maybe his wicked cackle, but never his genuine laugh. It was strange to hear a sound come out of him that wasn't a threat or dripping with arrogance or sarcasm.

Hermione smiled slightly at the sound and looked down at the ground.

They sat in the comfortable quiet, slight smiles on both of their faces,

After a few minutes it occurred to Hermione that Harry was probably waiting for her to come back. She jumped to her feet, startling Malfoy.

"I'd better get back inside," she admitted somewhat reluctantly. She took his wand out of her waistband and handed it back to him. 

He nodded, taking his wand. She waved slightly and started to walk back.

Feeling the loneliness trickling back as she got further and further away, he called out before she disappeared behind the enchantments.

"Ey, Granger!"

The girl turned around, looking startled.

"Would you maybe wanna come back out and talk some more? After you've checked in? It looks like my only companions out here are going to be these tall wooden leafy things, and if my memory serves me they aren't exactly the most talkative bunch," he joked, trying to relieve the tension his request had formed in the air. 

He saw a smile break out across her face, unable to stop one from breaking out across his own. She had a sparkle in her eyes, that he'd always noticed, but had tried to ignore in the past. His breath caught in his throat as he waited for her answer. 

"I'll be right back," she responded, obviously amused. She disappeared behind the barrier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this will be the last SLOW AS FUCK chapter, and OMG guys I wrote either the last chapter or the second to last chapter(I haven't decided yet), I know it might sound weird to write that way but this idea just came to me and I had to get it down before I lost it. That might be why this chapter is a day late, but I'm going to write the next one today and post it later today, and it will be longer than this one, I promise. <3 
> 
> If you guys have any thoughts at all, please message me, if you have any ideas or any feedback, I so appreciate it. And bookmark it so you can get each new chapter!! <3 I love kudos too, you guys this has been such a nice thing to have in my life now.
> 
> I'd also like to thank my sister for helping me with thinking about their story. She actually told me that this was good, and she's not someone to compliment without actually really meaning it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Hermione talk about what her talking to Malfoy reveals. Harry proposes an outing for her and Malfoy.

Harry had gone back inside, she noticed on her way back to her makeshift home.

She entered and found her friend sitting at the table, messing with the candle, running his fingers over the flame. He looked up when she came in, smiling a tight smile in greeting.

"Harry James Potter," she scolded. "You are going to burn yourself, how many times do we have to go over not playing with fire?"

Harry turned away from the candle to face her fully. "Sorry, bad habit."

She nodded and folded her arms across her chest. "So I'm guessing you heard everything?" she prodded

He nodded, his lips forming a tight line.

She paused, waiting for more of an answer. "Do you believe him?" she finally asked when he didn't speak.

He nodded again. "That's the Malfoy I've heard in the Astronomy tower, unable to go through with killing Dumbledore, or the one I found in a panic when I went to confront him about Katie Bell," he explained, beginning to appear frustrated. He rubbed the space between his eyebrows, closing his eyes.

Hermione watched her friend and saw how much the last year had worn down on the young man. His eyes had permanent bags sagging underneath them, and his collarbone was so pronounced from all the weight he lost. No matter how much food Hermione would force down his throat, none of it ever stuck on his body. He just stressed it off.  
He seemed to be very worked up over this Malfoy thing despite saying he believed everything he'd heard.

"What's bothering you Harry? I mean, other than everything," she asked, realizing that it was a heavy question considering the circumstances they were under.

He laughed harshly.

"Yeah, what could possibly be wrong? My 8-year long nemesis turns out not to be a murderous snake like we'd all thought, but just a scared puppet. My best mate turns out to be the grandest of arseholes and you're stuck with me and you have to deal with all the shit that you have forced on you just by being my friend," Harry ranted, turning to hold his head in his hands, resting his elbows on the table.

Hermione sat next to him, rubbing his shoulder and kissed the side of his head.

"I'm sorry Ron did this to you, 'Mione," Harry mumbled into his hands. "You deserve so much better than this."

Hermione smiled slightly, but felt her eyes sting with tears. She blinked them back, not feeling like she wanted to cry right now. She'd finally gotten to a point where her heart didn't feel quite so heavy and she'd actually laughed. She stood up from the table, keeping her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm gonna go keep him company outside okay? Right after I've changed, I'm still wearing my clothes from yesterday." Harry nodded, not looking up.

Hermione walked into the bedroom area and started looking through her bag for her clothes. She found her favorite lilac sundress, with the ruffly straps and sweetheart neckline and flowy skirt. She smiled to herself and put it on. Maybe wearing a dress was silly, but she felt so good right now she needed to keep the feeling going. The dress showed off her waist and her bust, and the color looked perfect next to her complexion. She took out her wand and did her hair, re-curling her long golden waves, pinning the front strands back on either side. She applied a slight bit of mascara and eyeliner, and a pink lipgloss, reapplying her rose scented perfume. Slipping on her golden flats and cardigan she left the room and went back over to Harry.

He looked up and smiled a genuine smile when he saw her.

"You look really pretty," he said softly, a sadness in his eyes.

"I feel a little silly," she admitted, twirling a bit. Harry shook his head and grabbed her hands.

"I heard you laugh for the first time in weeks out there," Harry said softly. "And it was something Malfoy said?"

Hermione nodded, slightly embarrassed.

Harry paused, thinking over his next words.

"Why don't you two go into the muggle town a couple of miles off? If you two are quiet and discreet you'd be fine," he offered. "There's an inn, knowing that spoiled git out there, he's not going to be able to sleep on the ground, he's full of shit," he laughed.

She couldn't deny that a night off of being stuck in the tent sounded amazing. But with Malfoy? And could she really leave Harry here alone? She pursed her lips in hesitation. Harry could practically hear her thoughts.

"I know it's Malfoy, but 'Mione, he was the first one to get you to laugh and smile in weeks. And I'd feel so much better if you got some time off being stuck in here with me," he pushed. He really wanted her to go, she had been a ghost for so long and he needed to coax the life back into her, even if it took Malfoy to do it. So weird, he thought to himself.

"Only if you're sure," Hermione surrendered.

"I am positive. Stay as long as you want, just send me a patronus if there's trouble."

Hermione kissed his cheek and hugged him close. She let go of him and made her way back out of the tent.

"Hermione?" he whispered before she left. She turned to look at him again.

"Just remember not to play with fire," he warned with a smile, but they both knew what he meant. He looked her up and down and knew even Malfoy would have a hard time with her looking like this. He'd heard Malfoy pause after she laughed, listening to the sound. He'd heard the tone of his voice when he asked her to stay. He only hoped the results wouldn't be more cataclysmic than what Ron had left behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah,maybe really Hermione and Draco wouldn't be able to go out into real life and not get caught, but come on guys, give 'em a break, and good things happen between Hermione and Draco at the inn ;) I love the comments and kudos, I'll have the next chapter for you guys tomorrow!! <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Hermione begin their break from the war and escape hidden in a muggle town. They begin to realize there may be more between them than they realized.

"Can I get two,...um,...ales, and some...chips, please?" she heard Draco order at the bar. 

Hermione smothered a laugh with her hand. Malfoy ordering muggle food at a muggle inn, paying with,...holy shit that's a big wad of muggle money, Hermione thought, as the boy pulled out a roll of notes from his back pocket. He laid a note on the counter and walked back over to where Hermione sat at the table.   
Noticing her smile, he couldn't help his own that spread across his face. 

"What?" he asked, taking his seat in the booth across from her.   
"You ordering muggle food, with muggle money, at a muggle inn, out with a mudblood," she explained, gesturing around them. "It's just not something I'd ever expect to see you ever do."  
Malfoy frowned. He opened his mouth to respond, but the waitress walked up with their order. She paused when she saw Draco. 

The waitress leaned over their table, her tits pushed up, facing Draco.   
"Here's your order, Mr....?" she asked, looking at him through her lashes. 

Hermione rolled her eyes, then looked to see Malfoy ignoring the waitress, his eyes hadn't left Hermione. She blushed and gestured towards the desperate woman.   
Malfoy's eyes snapped over to the waitress, seeing her display, raising an eyebrow in amusement. 

"Malloy," he answered, "Daniel Malloy." She smiled seductively, placing their order on the table. 

"Well, Mr.Malloy, if you need anything else," she began, and leaned over to purr into his ear. "Anything at all, come find me," she finished. 

"THANK YOU!!" Hermione shouted obnoxiously, to the waitress and grabbed her frosty mug and a handful of chips.   
It was the waitress's turn to roll her eyes as she walked away. 

"What was that about?" Malfoy chuckled, eating a chip.   
"She obviously found you attractive and was hoping to tempt you by shoving her boobs in your face," Hermione explained, exasperatedly. 

Malfoy smirked and raised an eyebrow.   
"Do you find me attractive, Granger?" he whispered seductively.   
"Oh stuff it Malfoy," Hermione groaned, taking a big gulp. 

The truth was honestly, yes, she found him attractive. He'd stopped gelling his hair, so his short blond locks were scruffy and messy but groomed neatly on his head. His sharp silver eyes almost sparkled, and his face was perfectly sculpted, his lips always smirking, which she had to admit she found ridiculously hot. And while he was skinny, he was toned, his arms constantly flexed, and the dress shirt he was wearing with the sleeves rolled up flattering his arms and hugged his chest. Hermione sighed internally. Draco Malfoy was hot.   
"I don't know, Granger, you were pretty peeved over the attention I was getting," he mocked..   
"Malfoy if you want this to be a pleasant evening, you will shut the fuck up," Hermione warned, her eyes glowering. Malfoy complied, but kept his smirk. 

She was being awfully defensive about this, he thought to himself. He was glad she didn't challenge him with the same question. He would have given himself away. Granger was fucking hot. When she came back out of the tent in that dress, he groaned quietly in frustration. She was effortlessly beautiful, and then when she made effort, she glowed. The lilac against her creamy skin and the soft golden curls fell over her shoulders and down her back were perfect.   
He'd even become attracted to her speaking. When she got fired up over an issue, he couldn't help the way he too got fired up, just maybe in a different way. 

They sat in silence, drinking and eating, slight smiles on their face.  
"This is so unreal,"Hermione finally spoke, softly.   
"I know," Draco responded, his smile growing. For many reasons, he thought to himself, looking at Hermione.  
"No watch shifts, beans on toast for practically ever meal, no casting protective enchantments, I haven't even thought about,..."Hermione drifted off. Her eyes were blank, staring off behind Draco's head.  
Malfoy grew concerned.  
"Let's not think about anything, huh?" Draco proposed, carefully placing his hand over hers. Her skin is so soft, he found, when she wrapped her fingers around his hand.  
"Why don't we just have as much fun as we can, at least for tonight, eh?" he offered, genuinely smiling at her.   
She nodded and returned his smile. 

 

"I'll go get the next round," she stood up to go to the bar.  
"Wait," Malfoy stood up.  
"Let's go get real dinner and get smashed," he offered. "Then we can come back to the room, and watch a movie and drink some more?"  
Hermione grinned.  
"Sounds perfect," she agreed. Malfoy held out his arm, and Hermione took it. They left the inn and walked down the street. 

To anyone else, they would look like a young couple, simply strolling down the street. But to Malfoy and Hermione, this was an amazing moment. Former enemies, embracing, in the middle of a war while they were put under outstanding pressure at only 18. The sun was setting, the sky a blend of blues and pinks and yellows. The breeze was gentle, and the trees down the little street rustled in the wind.  
Hermione let her head fall on to his shoulder. He smiled and his chest swelled with pride. 

They stopped at a bistro, peeking in to see people dancing on a dance floor in the middle of the room, surrounded by tables where people were dining. Malfoy pulled her inside and they were seated.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Hermione spend the evening together in the muggle town, complete with dinner and dancing.

Hermione ordered fancy cocktails for them, since there wasn't any firewhiskey or butterbeer like Draco was used to.  
"I'm not as horrible as I used to be, by the way," Draco told her, taking a sip of his drink.   
"Hmm?" Hermione was absorbed in the menu, but looked up when he spoke. 

"What you said earlier, that I wouldn't even do muggle things, or hang out with a mudblood," he explained. "I just want you to know that I'm a decent person now, I've formed my own opinions about things. I'm just stuck with my family."  
She nodded, and smiled tenderly. "I know."  
"And I would never call you a mudblood."  
She reached out to squeeze his hand. "I know."   
The waiter took their orders, winking at Hermione, which drove Draco mad, but he didn't show it.

They sat watching the restaurant around them, watching the blissfully unaware muggles, living their lives as though there wasn't a dark wizard threatening their very existence on this planet. Hermione could tell Draco was thinking about the same thing.   
"Are you worried about your mom?" she asked quietly.   
He looked stunned, then softened his expression.   
"Yes," he whispered. Then he changed his tone.   
"There's so many places she could hide in the manor. The only people HE needs are my father and aunt. They were including me, but I was useless, so it was easy for my mother to sneak me out."  
She nodded.  
"Can I ask you something?"   
"Okay," she hesitated.  
He messed with his straw. "What were you going to say when you said you hadn't thought about something since we'd left the forest?"  
Hermione felt her heart sink and tears stung behind her eyes.   
"Ron left," she told him, not wanting to go beyond that.   
"Were you guys together?" he whispered  
"Almost."  
"And he up and left you?"  
"Yeah."  
He felt anger in his chest and grimaced. "What a piece of shit, Hermione. He's a fuckhead."   
Hermione smiled at his reaction, and over the fact he'd called her by her first name. 

"You don't deserve that," he told her.   
"Thank you," she spoke softly.   
Their food arrived, and they dug in.   
"What about Pansy? Don't you miss her?" she asked, between bites.   
"Ew," he replied simply, cutting his steak.   
She bust out laughing and Draco grinned at the sound.   
"Have you guys seen the great bloody chicken lately?"  
Hermione nearly choked on her food. "You mean Buckbeak?"  
"Yeah."  
"Oh my god, you are such a baby!" she laughed, remembering that glorious day third year when Buckbeak pinned him to the ground.   
"That bird almost took off my arm!" he exclaimed.   
"If only," she took a gulp of her drink before waving the waiter for a refill. Her third after her ale. 

"How you holding up Granger?" he chuckled.   
She whipped her hair back, hitting him with a breeze of her scent, like vanilla and roses. It was intoxicating. She smiled, enjoying the warm feeling throughout her body the drinks were giving her.   
"I am amazing," she responded. Her smile dropped from her face and a frown took over.   
"You didn't say it this time," she said softly.  
"Say what?"  
"My name."  
He frowned. "Yes I did."  
She shook her head. "No, my real name," looking into his eyes through her lashes.   
Then his brain clicked and a smug grin spread across his face.   
"Do you like it when I say your name, Hermione?"   
Her smile came back, and left him breathless.

They continued eating, drinking, and laughing. The sun set outside and the restaurant's golden lights made everything glow.   
The music changed, playing a slow jazzy number. Once Draco paid, he stood and held out his arm.   
"How bout a dance?"  
She raised her eyebrows. "You, Draco Malfoy, wanna dance with me, Hermione Granger?"   
"Try not to think too into it, but yes."   
Hermione stood up and fixed her skirt. She walked over to him, tripping as she reached him.   
He caught her in his arms, laughing, and pulling her up to stand with him.   
"Come on you drunk," he chuckled pulling her on to the dance floor. He wrapped an arm around her waist and grabbed her hand. She placed her other on his shoulder, his skin tensing at her touch.   
They swayed on the floor, the space between them closing slowly. Hermione laid her head on his chest. He couldn't stop himself as he leaned down to kiss the top of her head. Hermione blushed and looked up to find Draco looking down at her, his eyes dark with something she couldn't identify.   
"What?"  
He shook his head. "Let's go back."  
Hermione nodded, and he kept his arm around her waist, walking out of the restaurant. 

The stars were bright against the dark sky and they walked down the street, never letting go of the other's hand. There was a man playing his guitar on the sidewalk, and as they passed him, Draco spun Hermione, her skirt flowing with her.   
He hugged her tightly to him when he caught her from her spin, and she laughed. They soon reached the inn and went upstairs. 

The last thing Draco wanted to do was let her go, but she needed to rest. They stopped at her room first, and he released her except for her hand.   
"I'll see you in the morning," he told her, squeezing her hand. He let go of her and walked into his room next door, closing the door behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys for continuing to read my story!! I have the next chapter pretty much written, so it should be up soon. I got two chapters up today, so I'm feeling pretty good :D Let me know what your thoughts are, or if you have any advice, feedback.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Hermione get back into their rooms and fight their urges to make their move on the other.

Hermione stood in front of the door, disoriented. This wasn't how she had expected the evening to end. She'd at least expected him to kiss her, or something. What had happened? She went into her room and sat on the edge of the bed.

He'd looked at her the way Ron used to, but more intensely. This thought saddened her, the fact that the boy she'd been in love with for 5 years still had never looked at her the way that Draco had tonight. He'd have never ignored a waitress with big tits because of how interested he was in her. Draco was different. He'd hugged her close, not caring who saw. He looked at her like there wasn't anything more interesting to him than her. He made it clear he found her attractive. 

She was so tempted to go through the door that connected their rooms, and make her move. Maybe that's why he hadn't, because he wasn't sure how she felt? But what if she had misread everything and making her move completely humiliated her? And this was Draco Malfoy, the boy who had tormented her for years in school, calling her awful names, and he was definitely a Death Eater. She'd seen his mark at dinner, her breath caught in her throat, but she didn't want him to notice. But he had proved to her he was against everything his family was forcing him to be part of, and would act against it if it wouldn't get his family killed.

She decided to think it over after a bath, so she sat up from the bed and went into the bathroom.  
\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Draco unbuttoned his white button down and threw it on the floor. He sat on the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands. 

She was driving him crazy. Her brown doe eyes and long thick eyelashes batting up at him. Her golden brown gentle curls settling down her back like a waterfall. Her perfect curves, her breasts pressed against his chest, her slender waist, her hips jutting out. He was so hard for her, he sat taking deep breaths trying to calm himself down.

He'd been so tempted to pull her into his arms and into his room and take her, but he became suddenly self conscious. He became very aware of his dark mark, and attempted to conceal it from her. Hermione deserved better than someone with this damned mark, he rationalized. But when he stood up to search his bag for his pajamas, the door behind him opened. 

He turned to see Hermione entering his room. She was wearing only a knee length floral robe, tied at the waist. Her hair was dry, but her skin glistened with beads of water. 

He realized his mouth was open, gaping at the sexy witch in front of him. She leaned against the door she'd come in through and shut it. Her back against the door, she spoke.

"I thought we were going to watch a movie."

Draco cleared his throat. "I honestly have no idea what a movie is. And how do you watch one? I'd just picked that phrase up, I have no idea what it means."

She giggled and moved closer to him. 

"Well, it's a good thing I had something else in mind." She laid her hands on his chest, looking down at his abs, oggling him. Her warm hands felt amazing on his skin. 

He gulped. "Like what?"

She raised an eyebrow, like "really?" She stood on her tippy toes and tilted her head up to kiss him gently. Draco leaned into the kiss, his hands moving up from her hips to hold her waist. 

Hermione ran her tongue between his lips, silently asking for his lips to part. Draco happily complied and devoured her with a passionate kiss with his open mouth. He caressed his tongue with his own, and he heard the most wonderful sound. Hermione moaned, wrapping her fingers in his hair. He moved his hands down her body, grabbing her ass. She gasped, and smiled mischieviously. 

She walked him to the bed and pushed down on his shoulders, making him fall flat on his back. She climbed on top of him, straddling him. 

"Wait," he breathed, sitting up. "Are you sure you want to do this? Think about who I am," he cautioned. 

Hermione felt his arousal beneath her and she looked into the sterling eyes that no longer held contempt for her, but looked up at her adoringly, yet dark with lust. She grinded against him. 

"Yes, Draco," she purred. "I'm sure."

Her saying his name took his breath away. He fought the urge right then to make her say it again and again. 

After a few moments of Draco's silence, she got off of him and took a few steps back. 

"Unless you aren't," she whispered, suddenly feeling self conscious.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, crappy of me to end it here, but I wanted to get the new chapter up. The next chapter will be in a couple days, I want to get it right. And I have stuff going on this weekend, but hopefully Saturday night. 
> 
> Leave me your comments and feedback/ideas!! Thank you guys! <3


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Draco let out their contained feelings and shag.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All right, this scene is long awaited, I'm sure. It's longer than my usual chapters, to apologize for the time between the updates. I'm sorry it took me so long to get it written, I just wanted to get it right. This is the first smut scene I've written, I hope I did okay. I'm pretty happy with it. Please let me know what you think <3 If I hear I did it right, I have a lot more of this stuff planned. Draco is a very intense passionate person ;)

Draco sat on the edge of the bed, dumbfounded, looking at the girl in front of him, hugging her arms around herself, staring down at the floor. He suddenly felt shame fall onto his shoulders, realizing how he’d made her doubt herself, coming in confident, only to feel rejected. He stood, pulling her arms from her body and holding her hands in his. He ran his thumbs over her knuckles. 

“For the brightest witch your age, you’re being a bit thick,” he teased, smirking. Her gaze moved up to meet his, and he felt his heart skip a beat. 

“Of course I want to, there is no doubt in my mind or,... other places,” he whispered, widening his smirk. “I can’t tell you how much it is killing me to restrain myself right now.” He paused, and a slight smug smile slipped on her face. 

“But I don’t want to take advantage of you, I’m guessing it’ll be your first time, we only have a night, maybe two, and this wouldn’t be happening under any other circumstances, because I was horrible to you at school, you deserve better than someone with-“ Hermione placed a finger on his lips, stopping his rambling. 

“Remember how we said we were going to not think about all that stuff tonight, and just have fun?” she asked. He nodded once in response, his eyes locked to hers. She licked her lips and stepped closer to him. 

“We have to take advantage of tonight,” she whispered. “Now I want you. Do you want me?” 

He squeezed his eyes shut. “Oh fuck yes,” he breathed. She grinned at his earnest response. She knew he was going to wait for an invitation, looking back down at the ground, and decided she wanted to earn a bit more of a response from him before she gave it to him.

He trembled underneath her touch as she ran her fingers over his chest, gripping his biceps and moving down to his forearms. He flinched and caught his breath as her hand ran over his mark. Hermione heard the reaction and looked up at him. 

She reached up to hold the back of his neck, urging him to look down at her. 

“It’s okay, Draco,” she assured him. “That doesn’t exist tonight, to me.”

Her touch had a cool, soothing touch on his heated body. Her words temporarily healed the worst cracks in his heart. He couldn’t hold back anymore. His eyes were dark and burning with lust, and he leaned down, touching his forehead to hers. 

“You know, between a Slytherin and Gryffindor,” he whispered huskily, placing his hands on either cheek of her face, “this could be explosive.” 

She grinned mischievously, but her eyes were softer, slightly fearful. “Oh I’m counting on it.” 

He crushed his lips to hers, forcing her lips open. She whimpered and wrapped her hands in his hair, grappling herself to him. His hands moved down to hold her waist. Their mouths moved together urgently, exploring each other. 

When she broke the kiss to breathe, he swept her into his arms, carrying her to the bed. He laid her flat on the quilt and grabbed at the knot keeping her robe closed. Her hand shot out instinctively to stop his, suddenly feeling self-conscious about him seeing her. 

He raised an eyebrow and bent over to purr in her ear. 

“Where’s the brave princess of Gryffindor I saw earlier, eh?” 

She reluctantly removed her hand, and he gently undid her robe, splaying it open, displaying her to him. He held back a moan from the sight of her body, her breasts full and held captive in her black lace bra, her soft stomach, her perfect hips, and her matching black lace knickers covered where he longed to lay into. He placed each hand on either side of her, palms down on the quilt. He nuzzled her neck with his nose. 

“Don’t know what you were so worried about,” he purred. “You’re a goddess.” 

She smiled gently and met his lips hungrily. She bit his lower lip softly and he moaned, slipping his hand under the cup of her bra. She gasped as he groped, running his thumb over her hardening nipple. 

“You were right earlier,” she whispered, reaching behind her to undo her bra. “This is my first time.” She felt no doubt about her decision, she trusted him. But she still wanted to be honest with him. This was such a separate world they were in, just the two of them. 

He paused. He didn’t know why he felt surprised at her telling him, he’d figured it would be, since Weasley would have been the only one and they weren’t really together. He felt his mouth turn up at the corner at that thought, but shook it off and kissed Hermione deeply. 

He cradled her face and looked at her. “It’ll be okay.” 

She grinned at him. “Well I rather hope it’ll be better than okay.”

He chuckled. She sat up and met his lips tenderly, running her tongue along his top lip. He sighed and pulled her robe off her shoulders and threw it and her bra to the other side of the room. She didn’t break the kiss, reaching down to unbuckle his pants. 

She didn’t know why she felt so bold around him. Around Ron she was timid and self-conscious, just hoping he’d show attention. But she’d punched Draco Malfoy in the face, she’d called him names, not caring what he thought about her. And now she knew how he really felt, suddenly feeling proof against her thigh as his pants were put aside. 

Draco grasped her waist and pushed her up the bed, laying open mouthed kisses all along her collarbone. He groped her chest, as her hips bucked up against him. He moaned at the first touch of their pelvises and he licked a line down behind her ear to her neck. He sat back on his feet, kissing his way down her stomach and boldly took the waistband of her panties into his teeth and pulled down her leg. He threw them aside, looking up to meet her gaze, her mouth open slightly wanton. She began to nudge his boxers down with her toe, and he devoured her with a kiss and pulled them down, tossing them aside. 

He moved down her throat and met her eyes as he chose that moment to take her right breast into his mouth. Her eyes rolled back, and she arched her back, pressing herself against him. He swept his arm behind her back to hold her sitting up, urging her to wrap her legs around his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed their mouths together fiercely. He could feel her arousal creeping on his leg and he moved his face to bite the base of her throat. He sucked on the skin there and Hermione pulled on his hair and dug her nails into his back. 

He kneeled on the bed, his knees parted. He looked up into her eyes, telling her to hold on. She bit her lip and tucked her head into his shoulder, bracing herself.

He slid her onto him gently. She groaned, feeling an intense pressure and then a break that makes her whimper. She felt suddenly full and she writhed under him, eager for him to move. He moved them, laying her on her back, hovering slightly above her, keeping them connected. 

“Fuck, ‘Mione,” he croaked. “You feel so good.” 

She smiled briefly, wrapping her arms around his neck to pull his head to hers. He kissed her nose, pressing his thumbs into the undersides of her breasts. 

“Mooove,” she cried, giggling at the sound of her voice. He chuckled with her. 

He slid out of her and thudded his full length back into her. She moaned deeply, her back arching and eyes rolling back into her head. There wasn’t a sexier thing he could have thought of, just watching Hermione feel the beginning of their tryst. 

He took her left breast into his mouth, beginning to find a rhythm for sliding into her. He bit the bud of her nipple, sweeping his fingers around the sides of her chest. Her fingers dug into his hair, pulling as she panted. 

“Oh my god Draco,” she gasped. He grabbed her left thigh and gently lifted it to wrap around his waist. She quickly had her right leg follow suit, thudding him into her harder, causing a gasp to rise from them both. 

The new angle had him hitting the perfect spot with each hit. She was panting hard, whimpering quietly, unable to hold in any moan that she felt in her throat. He reveled in the sounds she made and the sounds they made together, the slight creak of the bed, and slapping of their bodies together. 

She took to their rhythm, arching her hips to pound into each of his thrusts. She wrapped an arm across his back and held the back of his neck with the other, holding his head to hers. He took her lower lip into his mouth and sucked, moving his hands to grip her hips to aid in the movement meeting his thudding into her. She pressed her mouth against his fiercely, probing his mouth with her tongue with their rhythm, biting his lip and pulling his hair. 

He groaned. “Shit, I can’t hold on much longer, you’re killing me,” he groaned. He felt her walls tighten, and he knew she was almost there, but he’d be spent before she was done. 

“Let go,” she rasped, nipping at the skin under his jaw. 

He was not coming before her. He moved his hand between them, her hands flying to grab his shoulders. 

“What-“ she panicked, and Draco silenced her with a passionate kiss, moving his fingers in her folds as his pace became erratic and fierce. 

He found her clit and rubbed his finger and thumb over it. Remembering the way her language had affected him, he decided to try something. 

“Come on, Granger,” he growled harshly. “Come to me, your tight cunt around my cock.” 

She groaned breathlessly, and seconds later after a final rub of her clit, her walls spasmed and Hermione let out a shriek as she came on him, the wave of pleasure causing her arms to reach for the posts of the bed. His hands flew to wrap his fingers intertwined with hers, the sight of her coming undone bringing his orgasm crashing down, her name cried from between his lips as he filled her with his seed. 

He collapsed, laying on his elbows to keep his entire body weight from crushing her. He didn’t remove himself from her, and she didn’t move either, sweeping her fingertips across his cheekbones, bridge of his nose, his jawline, smiling in a daze. 

“Shit, Draco we didn’t cast a silencing charm!” she panicked, and he felt her heartbeat pick up violently, a warm flush seeping into her face. 

He raised his head from her neck and looked into her eyes. 

“I don’t fucking care,” he whispered, searing her lips with a tender open mouthed kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the most nervous I've been after a chapter since my first one. Please let me know if I did okay <3 Thank you for reading, hope ya enjoyed ;)


	10. Chapter 10

Draco eventually moved off of her, taking his weight off of her. He laid next to her on his side so he could look at her. She turned to face him, and he could tell she was deep in thought, the way her brow was furrowed and her lips were slightly pursed. He caressed cheek with his thumb, his fingers holding the back of her head. Her face relaxed to his touch and she closed her eyes and melted into his touch. The effect he had on her made him feel quite cocky, proud that he could make the high strung witch that was the brains of the Golden Trio dissolve into a puddle. He couldn’t help the smirk that took over his face.

“You okay?” 

She nodded and looked up at him. God she was beautiful. Her skin glowed in their post-orgasmic moments. He was already hard again, but he knew she must be sore and tired since it was only her first time. He’d never really felt the need for a round two with any other witch. Not like Parkinson or Greengrass, who he’d fuck hard with minimal kisses, and then go up to his dormitory. 

“Are you sore?” 

“A little bit,” she admitted, “but it’s a good kind of sore.”

His smirk broadened and he laid a gentle kiss on her lips. She met his kiss earnestly, cupping his cheek and pressing her body against his. His hand held her waist, holding her close to him. He moved down, caressing her side, to grab her ass. He heard her quiet gasp, and repeated the motion with his other hand. She sighed and deepened their kiss and hiked her right leg over his hip. He caressed her thigh moving back up to her ass. His body told him to keep going, but he told himself he needed to give her a rest before he pounded into her again. But there was something he could do. 

He gently pushed her leg off of him, not breaking their kiss. He began kissing down her throat, moving down her chest and stomach, lying kisses all the way down, inching down to the bottom of the bed as he kissed. 

“What are you doing?” 

“Just relax, sweets. Lie on your back for me.”

She followed his instructions, sitting slightly up from lying against the large pile of pillows under her back. 

He laid a kiss on her belly button and then with his fingers drew a line down to her inner thighs. He caressed them and placed kisses on them down to her knees. Her head fell back on the pillows, her breathing picking up as he made his way down. Draco watched her face and ran his fingers between her thighs and her folds. She gasped loudly and her hips bucked forward. He grinned and kissed her mound, moving his tongue to where his fingers touched. 

“You’re wet again for me Granger,” he taunted. She bit her lip and writhed on the bed. 

He moved his tongue around her folds, finding her opening. He slowly slid his pointer finger in, watching her arch her back, grabbing the quilt in fists on the bed. He slid it back out, and then slid two fingers in. Her hips bucked and Draco began fucking her with his fingers. 

“Oh my god,” she panted, arching her hips.

He reached with his pinky and found her clit. He caressed it in time with his thrusting into her body. She moaned uncontrollably. He could feel her walls contracting around his fingers and knew she was close.

“Come, gorgeous. I want to feel your juices flow on my fingers.” 

His words made her groan, her mouth open wantonly. With a final fisting into her she was coming, crying his name out. His fingers were suddenly soaked, her cunt still tightly holding them inside her. He couldn’t stop himself from moving up to lap up the fluid on them, groaning at her taste and the sounds she was making. 

Hermione reached down and tugged at his hair, telling him to come up to lie with her. His fingers were released and he crawled up the bed. He took her in his arms, kissing down her neck and across her shoulder. Her hands held his face to hers and she kissed him hard and open, massaging his tongue with hers. 

She was exhausted, he could tell, breaking their kiss, moving them so she laid her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her waist, kissing the top of her head. She caressed his chest sleepily. He so wanted to tell her how much this had all meant to him, but he couldn’t tell what the next few months would bring, and he couldn’t have her feeling conflicted. He lied there, listening to the sweet sounds of her sleeping. This had to be enough for him, he told himself, as he slowly felt himself surrender to sleep.


	11. Chapter 11

Hermione woke up, blinking the foggy feeling from her eyes. She was disoriented at first, at feeling so well rested and from not recognizing her surroundings. Then the night before came back to her and she smiled grandly. Then she remembered Harry, alone in the tent. He wouldn’t be able to go out in the open until this was all over, he was stuck. She suddenly felt guilt crash over her and she knew she had to go back today. She’d had a wonderful and perfect time away. 

She looked up to find a sleeping Draco and her heart broke. He looked so peaceful sleeping, she observed, not realizing it was sleeping next to her that gave him the peace he’d been needing. He’d been so loving with her, wrangling pleasure from her in a way no one had before. He hadn’t even asked for anything in return. She didn’t know how to go about telling him she needed to go, but he couldn’t really stay away from the manor, could he? It’s not like Voldemort wouldn’t notice he was missing. 

His arm was still wrapped around her waist, hugging her into his side, her head on his chest. She looked down to see his half hard cock under the sheet. A mischievous thought came into her head. I know how to wake him up, she thought with a sly smile. 

She carefully slid out from under his arm. He began to move, rising from his sleep. Before he was fully awake, she moved down the bed and slid her finger across his length. She wrapped her hand around it and pumped once, then twice. 

His eyes shot open and looked down to meet hers. She smiled seductively, not breaking eye contact as she ran her tongue down his length. 

“Fucking hell, lovely,” he moaned, his eyes rolling back. 

She moved further down the bed, pressing her bare breasts on his thighs, taking him into her mouth slowly. His hips bucked, pushing him further into her mouth. She withdrew him, and then took him back in. She developed a rhythm, running her tongue around his tip every time she took him back in her mouth. 

“Shit, stop love, I’m gonna come,” he croaked, panting, trying to pull her away. 

If anything, she felt encouraged, hearing him call her love. She did not let up, running her fingers down him as she withdrew and then took him back inside. With a thrust of his hips he spent himself in her mouth. She swallowed and inched back up the bed, pressing her bare breasts onto his chest and watched him recover, his eyes closed, panting. 

She couldn’t bear to spoil their time. Tears began to sting behind her eyes, but she blinked them away, hoping he wouldn’t notice. His eyes opened and he looked at her with a crooked smile. 

“Good fucking morning, beautiful.” He pulled her up by her waist and kissed her, running his fingers through her hair. She deepened the kiss, her resolve breaking, unable to stop the couple of tears that fell and landed on his cheek. 

He broke the kiss, his eyes studying her face. He didn’t bother to ask what was wrong, he knew. He wiped the tears moving down her cheeks, his smile falling from his face.   
She pulled out of his touch and sat on her side of the bed, hugging her knees to her chest. 

“Why don’t we go downstairs and get breakfast and talk?” she asked, her voice barely there. 

A wave of anger washed bitterly over him as he felt his heart harden. He knew he couldn’t keep her here with him, she had important work to do to bring the end of this war. And he wouldn’t be able to stay away from home, he’d need to go back before the rest of them noticed he’d gone. Knowing this didn’t stop a sudden resurgence of his old self from the dark parts of his heart. He tried to shake it, but it held on to him.

“Why bother talking?” he said harshly. “There’s nothing to say that we don’t both know, so let’s not bother.” 

Her heart cracked further at his words. 

A hard laugh came from his throat. “I mean, we can’t take last night to mean anything, right? We both needed to let off some steam and stress, that’s all this was. We don’t need a heartfelt talk and goodbye.” 

She felt an invisible hand choking her. She bit her lip and gritted her teeth. 

“Right,” she replied, her voice hard. “Then I’m going to shower and go.” 

She stood and collected her clothes from around the room. Draco watched her, unable to move. She looked at him and he could see the hurt in her eyes, and her attempt at masking it with her mouth in a hard line. She blinked away tears and quickly made her way out of the room. 

As soon as she left, Draco felt his heart soften and he felt the cracks his words had formed in it. He could barely breathe as he stood and went into her room. 

Hermione turned on the shower, turning the heat all the way up and stood underneath, bent over, sobbing. She tried to talk herself down, reminding herself he was Malfoy, the boy who’d caused this feeling dozens of times over the past 7 years, the one who named her Mudblood, the one who was a Death Eater. But none of this worked. 

She heard the bathroom door open and turned to see Draco force his way into the shower with her. He pulled her face to his and kissed her with all of his strength. She pushed at his chest and he fought her shoves. 

“Let go of me Malfoy, we’re done letting off steam,” she said bitterly, tears continuing to run down her cheeks. 

He ignored her, running his hands down to her waist, kissing her deeply. She kept her lips tight and hard against him, but as he caressed her back and hips, she softened, wrapping her arms around his neck and meeting his kisses back. 

She wrapped her legs around his hips and grinded against him. He ran his hands up her thighs, to her ass, and back down, carrying her to push her against the wall of the shower. Her nails dug into his back, and he slid her on to his cock again. She gasped and he swallowed it by crushing his lips against hers. She rolled her hips, and he began thrusting in and out of her again. 

”You weren’t thick enough to believe me, were you Granger?” he asked breathlessly, between thrusts. 

She wasn’t able to respond, but moaned as he hit the perfect spot. 

“This doesn’t feel like me just letting off steam, does it?” He took her breast into his mouth, teasing her clit with his finger while thrusting. 

“Fuck,” she groaned, arching her back, rolling her hips harder against him. 

He bit the spot beneath her jaw on her neck where he’d bitten the night before, sucking on it again. He would leave her marked as his, he thought to himself, so that when Weasley comes crawling back he’s made to know he missed his chance. 

Draco’s thrusting became fierce and erratic, nearing his end. Hermione was sure she’d be severely bruised but she didn’t care. Her walls contracted and she came with a shriek, holding on to Draco for support. Her head fell on his chest. Two thrusts after her, he spilled into her, coming with a deep throated groan. 

They stood there panting, holding each other. Draco nudged her head up and kissed her sweetly, tucking her hair behind her ear. He carried her out of the bathroom and sat her on her bed. 

“We’ve got to go back,” he said, looking into her eyes. 

Her nostrils flared and she nodded, her tears still falling. 

“Even you?”

He nodded bitterly. 

“I have to go back to the manor. I can’t let me my mother handle them on her own. And I’m sure he’ll have conjured up a new task for me by now.” 

Her lips made a hard line and she shook her head. 

“But they’ll never hear a word about you. I swear. I won’t tell," his voice breaking on 'you'. She caressed his cheek and gave him one last passionate kiss.

“I know,” she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme hear your thoughts!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little boring chapter, but come on, I gotta keep it evenly paced ;) Next chapter, more exciting, and to come soon. Keep the love coming!! <3 <3 Thank you for reading!

With a whooshing sound, Hermione apparated back to her camp, stumbling on her landing. She looked around their spot, feeling surreal at the fact that it looked unchanged, when she felt so much had changed in the past 24 hours. She felt like a different person from the one who'd been here before. 

She turned around to find Harry sitting in front of the tent on the ground, his head resting back, sound asleep. 

She smiled sadly and approached her friend and wrapped her arms around him. His eyes slowly opened, groggy from dreaming. 

"Hey 'Mione," he greeted, clearing his throat. 

"Why don't you go inside, Harry?" she offered softly. "I'll watch for a while."

He nodded and stood slowly. He wiped the sleep off of his face. He looked down at his friend, taking his spot in front of the tent. Her eyes were rimmed with red, and swollen, along with her lips. She hugged her knees to her chest, looking as though she was trying to hold herself together. She stared at the ground, despite Harry still standing in front of her.   
He held out his hand to her. He couldn't go inside and let her sit out here on her own, looking the way she had just returned looking.

"Just come in with me, alright mate? I slept out here and everything was fine. We have those charms up for a reason right?" 

She looked up at him blankly, but nodded and took his hand. He wrapped his arm around her and led her in to the dining table. 

Hermione looked around her at the tent where she'd been living for the past seven months. She thought of her comfy room she'd slept in the night before, tucked into the arms of Draco. Her heart sank at the sight of her copy of Tales of Beedle the Bard. Those damn dog-eared pages. Her eyes stung with tears, and she'd cried so much already that day she didn't have the strength to hold these back.   
She hadn't thought about Ron the whole time she'd been with Draco. She felt a strong feeling of shame sink in. She'd spent the night with their long time enemy and basically forgiven him, and,... developed feelings for him.

"Is it Ron?" Harry asked quietly, interrupting her thoughts.

She paused. Why should she feel like she had betrayed him? He's the one who had abandoned them, left because of his petty jealousy and needy feelings of being left out, these two feelings overruling their years of friendship. And Draco had been so gentle and caring, understanding exactly what it was like to feel trapped, to have an enormous amount of pressure on you. But she had so many more years and more history with Ron, he knew her. Even as she thought of Ron, she could feel sharp silver eyes looking her down, and she felt as though they knew her too. 

"I don't know," she finally admitted. "I'm a little confused. 

Harry nodded, smiling kindly at her. His eyes flickered to her throat. 

"Um, Hermione? Is that what I think it is?" Harry asked with a broad grin, pointing to a red blotch under her jaw on the left side of her throat.

Her hand flew to her neck, feeling a blush seep up from her chest up to her cheeks. 

"Ummm,....no?"

"Hermione Jean Granger!!!" he practically shouted, leaping from his seat. His grin was the broadest it'd been in months.

"Wait." His face slackened as another question occurred to him. "How far exactly did it go?"

Dammit. "Umm,......-" Once again, Harry interrupted her speechlessness. 

He ran his hands through his hair, a look of shock overtaking his face. 

"Fuck!" he finally shouted, taking a moment before sitting back down.  
"You beast, you, Granger!" he exclaimed, his teasing smile blinding. He had assumed something would have happened between them, but not in the ways things obviously had. He hadn't expected that out of Hermione. He looked his friend up and down, searching her for further evidence of her evening with the Slytherin prince. 

Hermione shook her head, unable to contain her smile and giggles anymore, cracking up at Harry's reaction. The pair laughing was the happiest sound the tent had heard all of it's seven months.

"Man, I wish I'd gotten laid," he sighed, his fingers rubbing his furrowed brow. 

"You jealous, Harry?" she snickered, cocking a brown suggestively. "You wish you'd gotten a night with Draco?"

He smiled sadly at hearing Hermione use his first name. He'd sent her hoping she'd get relief from Ron, only having her dive into a new stressor in the form of Draco Malfoy. But the way her eyes flickered and her smile shifted when she said his name, told him to leave it be and not linger on it.

"Oh you have robbed me irreparably, Hermione," he deadpanned, causing her to giggle uncontrollably. 

"But uh,... me and Ginny, the night before the wedding,...." Harry smiled to himself, obviously going over a visual in his head. 

Her mouth fell open, stunned. "No way!! She didn't even tell me!" She couldn't help but feel betrayed, Ginny was her closest female friend. So two of the Golden Trio had punched in their cards, eh? she thought to herself smugly. Not Ron though, ironically because he had assumed it would have been with Hermione. Even his baby sister had before him. Hermione smiled, content that she had managed to develop beyond her and Ron, leaving him in the dust, the same way he'd left her and Harry. 

"God I miss her," Harry suddenly murmured, the broad smile gone from his face.   
Hermione frowned. "I know."

They sat in silence, their temporary lightheartedness gone as quickly as it'd come. It was minutes before Harry stood and spoke, breaking their silence. 

"I'm going to sit outside," he spoke softly, obviously in another world, one where Hermione assumed he and Ginny were allowed to be together. 

The young witch nodded, watching her friend the tent slowly, his eyes glazed over. 

She didn't mind him leaving her alone in the tent, he had developed a recent habit of hovering around her when he thought she was feeling sad about something, or when he was feeling sad about something.   
She hopped in the shower, and changed into her favorite pajamas, her soft cotton white lace nightgown. She pulled a green cardigan over her arms and dried her soft curls with her wand. 

She wondered about Draco. Was he home by now? She hoped he was safe, as safe as he could be in that house. She let her thoughts wander to what might happen after the war was over. Would they meet again? Or was it truly one moment in time, separate from reality? She couldn't help the ache that settled in her chest at that thought. She gathered her copy of Beedle the Bard and got comfortable in her bed. 

She opened the front cover and as her eyes hit the first page, she heard a rustling around the back of the tent. She froze and listened carefully. She heard stumbling and a twig break under a footstep. She stood from bed, tucking her book into her chest, raising her wand. She walked slowly to the back flap of the tent, standing to listen. 

She heard a young male voice curse, sounding like he'd tripped.   
Was Harry wandering around back? she thought to herself, bemused. 

"Hermione!" the voice stage whispered. Her eyes widened and her heart paused it's beating as she recognized the voice. 

 

Draco.


	13. Chapter 13

"Hermione!" he whispered again. 

She quickly ducked her head through the flap in the back of the tent, out into the dark. 

"Draco?" she called softly. She heard rustling and out from behind a tree he appeared, wearing a black slim fitting sweater and dark jeans, his backpack hanging on his back. His pale skin practically glowed in the moonlight. He stood staring, just drinking in the sight of her. Hermione stepped out and grabbed his hand, pulling him inside with her.

She pulled him into the compartment of the tent where her bed was and released his hand to close the curtain. Before she could turn back around to face him, he grabbed her hand back and spun her to fall into his arms. He crushed his lips to hers, holding her head grappled to his. He broke the kiss, keeping their heads pressed together, breathing her in, as much as he could. 

"What are you doing here?" she smiled, brushing his mussed hair back in place. 

"I'm about to go back and I needed to see you one more time." He pulled her with him to sit on her bed, pulling her legs to lie on his, holding her hands in his.   
"I went to see someone about improving my Occlumency skills, so if they try to get in my mind I'll be able to hide some memories, I don't want anyone getting a hint that I saw you," he explained. "There's a potion I can take to give myself a boost, I've practiced quite a lot already." She smiled at him, cuddling closer to him, letting her head fall on his shoulder.   
He kissed the top of her head and rested his chin on top. He looked to the side and saw her book, strewn on the floor. He studied the cover, trying to read the title. When he finally made it out, a thought occurred to him, and he released her, scrambling to grab it.   
"Hermione have you read this?!" he asked, hurriedly flipping through the pages, crouching on the ground. She sat up from the bed and walked to stand next to him.   
"Yes,...Draco what's going on?"

He stood, finding the right chapter and held it open in front of her. "So you've read the Tale of the Three Brothers?" he asked, his tone serious and excited.   
"Yes,..." she responded, confused where he was going with this.

He nodded and looked away, lost in thought. He came back and looked at her with an urgent light in his eyes.   
"Read it again," he urged. He tapped the cover in emphasis. "And look up the wizard Grindelwald, you are so close to something enormous in this war."   
She tucked her hair behind her ear and peered at the book. "Okay,...Grindelwald?" 

He nodded fervently. Another thought occurred to him and he scrambled to get his bag from the bed, pulling out a book. He opened the front cover and pointed to a symbol drawn on the cover page. "And look for this symbol. If you connect all three, you'll understand."   
She furrowed her brow, studying the symbol. She nodded half mindedly. She'd seen this symbol before, but where? 

She looked up at him, seeing a kind of panic in his eyes, but in a way where he appeared happy. "What, Draco?" she asked, stepping closer to him. 

"Now that I see the track that you're on, I just know now that everything is going to be okay. You're going to win this, like I knew you would," he said softly, moving to cup her cheek softly. He kissed her tenderly, clutching her waist to press her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, standing on her tippy toes to deepen the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her slightly, raising her to be level with his eyes. He smiled as he gazed into them, revelling in her embrace.   
"I have something for you," he whispered, touching his nose to hers. 

"Yes, I can feel it," she retorted, waggling her eyebrows. He chuckled and set her back down to sit next to her on the bed again. 

"That is not quite what I meant, but uh there is that too," he replied, winking at her. He reached into his pocket, pulling out a silver chain. She gasped softly as he reached around her and lifted her hair to fasten the necklace on her. He pulled the pendant to the front. It was a silver halo, the circle rimmed with small diamonds, about half an inch in diameter. She touched her hand to it, feeling tears build up behind her eyes. She felt it glow warmly, a pleasant glow fading into her heart.

"What-" 

"I added a psychic charm to it," he explained. "You'll feel it glow whenever I think of you." 

Her mouth fell open, and the few tears fell. He wiped them away and tilted her chin up. He kissed her deeply, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs. She deepened the kiss, raising herself up on to her knees, wrapping her arms around his neck, pressing her breasts against his chest. She pulled at the hem on his sweater, and he let go of her long enough for her to pull it over his head. He grabbed her waist, caressing upwards, moving her to straddle his lap.   
"I'm quite partial to this color on you," he whispered, pulling the emerald green cardigan off of her. She grinned, her hands caressing his chest, and she laid kisses down his neck and across his shoulder. 

As Draco was pulling her skirt up her body, they heard Harry call "Hermione!" 

"He better not be calling you for the same reasons I was," Draco drawled from her chest. She giggled and kissed him with an open mouth, hungrily, before stepping off of him. 

"I'll be right back!" she whispered, pulling her skirt down and her cardigan back on. 

He smiled, not quite meeting his eyes, and nodded. 

She ran from her bed to the front of the tent, stepping outside. "Harry, is everything okay?" she called breathlessly, looking around for him. 

She whipped her head to the left and saw Harry walking towards her, soaking wet. She walked towards him, pulling out her wand so she could dry him. 

"Yeah, fine, actually it's better than fine," he replied, gesturing behind him. 

She looked over where he pointed, her eyes widening to find Ron stumbling towards them, a big goofy grin spreading across his face at the first sight of her. 

"Hey!" he laughed.

She stared at him, glaring, holding her wand tightly in her hand. Noticing her expression unwavering, Ron stopped moving towards her, his grin falling. 

"You're back then?" she called, her voice hard. 

He nodded. "Yeah," he called, softly, hurt at her lack of excitement seeing him again. 

She shook her head in disbelief. "You complete arse, Ronald Weasley," she muttered, just loud enough for him to hear her, turning and walking back into the tent. 

She trembled as she ran back over to her bed, pulling the curtain back. Draco had left. She crumpled to the ground, her heart falling to her stomach. She couldn't cry, but still felt the silent sobs rip through her chest. A scrap of parchment on the ground caught her eye and she picked it up and unfolded it. 

'Don't let Weasley get off easy.'

She felt the necklace glow, and touched her fingers lightly to it. She gently lifted it and raised it to her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not over. 
> 
> In the next couple of chapters I'll be hopping around a bit time wise, but I'll explain the time in notes at the beginning of the chapter when it needs it.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	14. Chapter 14

It’d been three days since Ron’s return and Hermione had yet to speak to him. Ron had been eager to make up for lost time to her, setting her place at the table where he’d prepared their dinner every evening, asking her for their developments in the research for horcrux locations, each time earning nothing more than a sideways glance or glare, and a shake of her head. What did he expect from her?

Harry did nothing to help Ron, telling him to just wait for her, let her come to him. He knew Hermione had her right to be as angry with Ron as she was, and she could decide when she’d forgive him, or even if she would. But Ron was losing patience and couldn’t manage living like this without her yet with her for this long. It had been her voice that had brought him back, she had to have missed him, right?

Hermione could not be bothered to deal with Ron, with what Draco had told her about studying and the constant glow on her chest each day. They’d gone back to switching shifts of keeping watch outside of the tent, Ron had brought food back with him so they were eating better. Ron and Harry were getting on grandly, Harry was glad to have his friend back. He’d helped him get the radio back up and going, and Ron had given Harry a letter from his sister, albeit reluctantly, that had resulted in a definite boost in Harry’s general mood. 

Hermione sat outside one evening, several books laid out on the floor in front of her. Ever since Draco had that reaction in the tent to her book, Hermione had spent all her time searching through all the books she had with her, looking for the symbol he drew her or any hints or similarities to the story.  
She was glad for the distraction from Ron. She could tell he felt awful and that he was realizing what a massive mistake he had made. And if she was honest with herself, she wasn’t really angry at him anymore. He’d come back at the perfect moment to save Harry and destroy the horcrux, and he had been trying to make up for his behavior from before. 

But she couldn’t make herself feel the way about him that she used to feel. The way that only a brush of their elbows would send an electric spark into her stomach, or the light headed feeling she’d get when she’d catch him staring at her. She didn’t know how that was going to be explained to him, when they moved on from this. She knew he still felt it for her by the way he’d look at her miserably when she’d take her dinner from the table to eat outside, or brush past him without eye contact. 

She flipped through Hogwarts: A History, again. Where had she seen this god damn symbol before? She knew she’d seen it at Godric’s Hollow on a grave, but they couldn’t go back there after what had happened last time. But she felt like she’d seen it before that. Before she’d even read the book. 

Then it hit her. The wedding. Someone wore it around their neck at the wedding. She held her fingers to her temples, focusing on a rock on the ground. It had been Xenophilus Lovegood. She grinned grandly and hit her palm against the ground. She stood and gathered all her books, and turned to go inside.

“My shift?” Harry asked absentmindedly, taking a sip from his mug at the table. Ron sat with him, sitting up straighter on the stool as Hermione set her books down on the table.

"Uh, sure, but actually I need to talk to you guys.” 

Ron nodded gravely. “Yeah alright.” He stared directly at Hermione, giving her his undivided attention. Hermione shifted uncomfortably, and then decided to focus her attention to Harry. 

“I want to go see Xenophilius Lovegood,” she stated simply, watching Harry’s eyebrow raise. 

“Come again?” he asked, furrowing his brow.

She pulled open one of her books, where she kept the page Draco had drawn the image. She pushed it towards him. 

“Have you seen this symbol before?” 

He shook his head.

“Okay, well,” she continued, slightly put off by his not connecting the dots. “Lovegood was wearing this symbol at the wedding, and I think it could be leading to something really important.”

“Hermione, you know what happened last time we went to visit somewhere, it didn’t exactly go well,” Harry reminded, and Hermione pursed her lips in frustration.

“Harry we didn’t have a real purpose for going to Godric’s Hollow,” she pointed out, inducing the narrowing of Harry’s eyes. She refused to back off of this. “And if I may recall, I predicted the outcome of what did happen when we went.”

Harry turned away to face the wall, continuing to sip from his mug. 

“We need to talk to Lovegood,” she stated firmly, almost stomping her foot in emphasis. 

Ron stood up suddenly. He nodded very seriously and walked over to stand next to her. 

“Yeah, Hermione’s right,” he said, tapping Harry’s shoulder to grab his attention.

“I say we go see Lovegood. Let’s vote,” he offered lamely. “Those in favor?” he timidly raised his hand. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him. They stood there in silence.

Harry coughed and broke the silence. 

“Well as we’ve no other leads and Hermione’s got a good hunch, we’ll go,” Harry concluded, standing. “I’m taking my shift now. You two talk strategy getting there.” He gave Hermione a pointed look and gave a wink to Ron. 

So he was done helping her now, was he? she thought to herself. Harry ducked out of the tent, leaving Ron and Hermione standing alone in the kitchen. 

Hermione’s eyes flickered up to his, and smiled slightly. He stared down at her, his expression unreadable. 

“I’m gonna go read,” she told him awkwardly, gesturing to her bed. She turned to leave but Ron’s hand reached out and grabbed her arm. 

“Hermione, wait.” 

She turned back around to face him, looking up at him expectantly. 

“I can’t take this anymore, this awkwardness between us,” he pleaded. “Just let me explain everything, and then you can go back to hating me.” 

She said nothing, but kept her expression soft, raising an eyebrow to indicate she was listening. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes.

“I never should have left. I know I fucked up big time. I wish you could know how badly I wanted to come back as soon as I left. I felt like such a twit, just going from place to place, just thinking about you guys. I never should have left when we were the only ones who could do this job.”

She nodded, feeling annoyed that this is when this occurred to him.

“And I never should have left when I had you,” he told her, stepping closer to her. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt a slight tingle, looking up at the tall strong boy that stood looking down at her with his glistening hazel eyes, begging for her forgiveness. “The look on your face when I apparated away haunted me the whole time, I couldn’t believe I’d been able to leave when you were standing there looking at me like that.” 

Tears prickled behind her eyes and she pursed her lips. She looked away from him down to her feet. He stepped closer, daring to tilt her chin up with his finger.

“It was your voice that brought me back,” he whispered. “I heard you whisper my name. I couldn’t believe it, I thought I’d gone mad, but I almost didn’t care. But then I clicked my deluminator, and a little blue flame popped up, like the ones you make. It started to lead me away I followed it, because I knew it’d take me where I needed to go, just like you always had. I apparated with it and it brought me back here.”

His gaze was intense and Hermione’s eyes watered from his words and the way he looked at her. He slipped his hand around hers, and Hermione allowed it, enjoying the feeling his large rough hands felt around her small and dainty one. 

“Hermione you are the most incredible person I’ve ever met. You are absolutely brilliant, the only way we will survive this is you. You are so kind and gentle, you’ve managed to deal with me these past seven years. You are so gorgeous, like really so very beautiful,” he whispered, smiling at her, as she responded slightly, no longer looking quite so grim.  
“I’ve loved you for so many years, and I love you now. I’m sorry if I’ve fucked things up between us, and I’m not asking for your forgiveness. But I hope you will forgive me one day,” he concluded, squeezing both of her hands. 

Hermione smiled a small smile at him. He was so genuine that she did feel a lot of inner anger disappear. She stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him. He responded strongly, wrapping his arms around her slight waist, hugging her tightly to him. She felt his shoulders shake, and she knew he was laughing in relief.   
She broke their hug and looked up at him.

“Okay,” she said softly. “I haven’t forgiven you, but I may still. But we can’t go back to the way we were before, we’re going to have start over. But it’s okay Ron, I understand.”   
He nodded eagerly, smiling at her, his eyes full of adoration.

“God Hermione, even the idea that you might forgive me one day is enough to keep me going. You really are brilliant,” he squeezed her hands, making a promise to himself that he would win her back. He could not let her slip through his fingers. 

Hermione smiled tightly at him. For some reason reconciling with Ron had given her a stomach ache, a hard pit forming. She stepped away from him, and as she walked back over to her bed the glow settled back in to her heart.

Her chest ached for the boy she knew was sitting somewhere far away, in a dark dangerous house, just thinking about her. She cried silent tears and curled up on her bed, closing the curtain, diving back into her books, holding her pendant between her fingers.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just in case this isn't clear, this takes place the night they are captured after visiting Lovegood. 
> 
> This chapter is very different from the rest, I apologize if this causes any distress.

 

    Draco sat against the wall in the drawing room. His mother sat on the arm of the grand chair her husband sat in, his hands pressed together and staring at the wall, his wife's hand a hovering presence on his shoulder. The Malfoys sat in silence in their cold dark house, a manor that no longer felt like their home. 

   Draco let his head fall back against the brick and closed his eyes. He let himself live out what would have happened if Weasley hadn't ruined everything. Her soft lips pressed against his, her soft dainty hands on his face, his hands in her luxurious waves and on her round hips and slight waist. Her chocolate doe eyes looking up at him through her thick long lashes, her decadent scent of roses and vanilla, the way he could make her laugh that twinkling giggle and smile that heart-stopping smile. He shuddered to think that she'd forgiven that ginger git, knowing it was likely that she had, she was too good not to. 

   "LUCIUS!!!!"

   The three Malfoys heard Bellatrix cry from the hall. Lucius rose from his seat and silently made his way towards the door. 

   They heard struggling and the voices of some snatchers. Narcissa and Draco followed, his heart thudding in his chest. If those bastards got her brought here they would definitely inspire him to exercise his abilities as a death eater, he was certain of that. 

   He heard a shriek in the next room that resonated in his chest, and he knew he was done for. He took the last few steps into the room, focusing on his resolve to remain hard and not give himself away.

   But as he entered the room and saw her in a snatcher's mits, he felt his knees buckle. He managed to conceal it, his eyes wide from the feeling of his chest erupting. He stood very still, relieved that no one was looking in his direction. To the left of her crouched Weasel and then Potter, both also in the clutches of snatchers. He observed her face to see if there was any evidence that she'd been hurt. There was a scrape on her cheek, but other than that, she was still breathtaking, glaring at the three Death Eaters in front her in a defiant stare, fearless. 

   "Draco, dear," his aunt drawled, turning to face him. She grinned madly and grabbed at his arm, shoving him in front of Potter. 

    "Is it him? We can't call the Dark Lord unless we are positive, and as you can see, the boys gotten himself a bit messy," she whispered hurriedly.

     Draco could tell it was him, but Potter had obviously gotten his face screwed up, it was puffy and bruised, you couldn't see his scar. It was his eyes that gave him away. Draco creeped closer to him and raised an eyebrow at him, asking what had happened, where no one could see. He briefly gestured to Hermione with his eyes, and Draco grinned proudly. He wiped the look from his face as he turned away. 

   "I can't tell, his face is too puffy," he reported to his family. Bellatrix growled and Lucius stepped towards him, holding onto his arm. 

   "Just think Draco, if it is him, we'll be back in the Dark Lord's favor. We can go back to normal." Draco looked back at his father blankly. There would be no normal until this war was over, their people defeated. 

    One of the snatchers pulled something grand out of Hermione's bag and grinned widely. 

    "WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THAT DOING HERE?!" Bellatrix screeched, storming over to the snatcher. 

     "Found it in her bag. Guess it's mine now," he grinned stupidly. With a quick hex the sword was in her hand and the man was on the ground. 

     She examined the sword and walked back over, pausing in front of Hermione. She held the blade to her throat and Draco struggled to hold himself back from running to her. His breath stopped and he felt bile rising in his throat. God no. 

     "In your bag, was it, dear?" she hissed. Hermione's eyes flicked over to Draco before meeting Bellatrix's back, struggling to meet her gaze unwavering. His heart broke further from being stuck in his spot next to his mother. Her strength astounded him, still fighting the fear as she stood before the very people who wanted her handed over most. 

     "Take the two to the dungeon. I'm gonna have a little chat with this mudblood here, girl to girl!" she announced, handing the sword to her brother-in-law. Draco remained his stone stature but couldn't help the whispered "No" that slipped his lips, his mother the only one hearing. Narcissa's hand flew to Draco's, ready to drag him away the second she could. The snatcher holding Hermione released her, the girl falling to her knees, refusing to look up. Potter and Weasel were dragged away, both of them shouting and kicking. Harry's eyes flew to Draco, begging him to do something, as they were dragged down the stairs. 

     "Don't you fucking touch her you bitch!" Ron screamed, Bellatrix laughing madly as she approached the girl. Hermione's eyes looked to Draco again, wide with fear, pleading with him. He just stared at her, unable to communicate anything, the fire inside of him consuming him. Narcissa pulled at his hand and Draco was pulled backwards, his eyes not leaving the girl on the floor. Lucius stepped towards her, grabbing her hair and tugging it down, throwing her on the ground, her head hitting the marble. Her first cry of pain echoed through the room.

      Draco choked out a sob and his mother was immediately in front of him and covered his mouth with her hand. She pushed at him until they were both through the doors back into the drawing room. She turned to close the doors, unable to stop the sound of the next scream. Draco collapsed on his knees on the rug and Narcissa shut the doors and cast a charm over them to block out the sounds. 

    She flew to her son, and wrapped her arms around him. His shoulders shook from his silent sobs. 

    "She is strong, they will not kill her," she whispered in his ear. 

     He nodded, trying to catch his breath. 

    "We'll get them out of here, and then you run," she whispered again. His gaze flew up to meet hers. 

    "What about you?" he breathed, his voice breaking. 

     "I will not put you through this any longer. You stay safe, and I will find you when this is all over, with or without your father," she told him, pressing her hand to his cheek. He nodded, and she pressed a kiss to his forehead. She drew two wands from her robes and put them in his hands. 

     "They took their wands when they got here. When we get back out there, you somehow get them to them. I'm going to call Dobby," she explained calmly and fixed his collar as she turned away. 

     "Thank you, mum," he whispered, clutching their wands tightly in his fist. Narcissa nodded and smiled sadly. 

     "You are the good of Slytherin, my love. Like your godfather. Don't let this be it for you." With that and a pop she apparated out of the room. 

    

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just finished one of my summer courses so I'll be posting chapters every few days now. I think there won't be more than five left. I know how it's wrapping up, there are just a few holes I need to fill in. If you have any thoughts please leave a comment <3


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I conveyed Fleur's speech pattern well. I think if you read it out loud it helps with understanding, but I think it's pretty easy to get.

 

   Hermione sat on the middle of her bed, wrapped in the floral quilt, warming her hands on her mug of tea. The fire crackled in the little stone fireplace in her room, and she looked to the other side to the window where she could see the ocean. 

  It had been a week since they escaped from Malfoy Manor, and they were staying at Bill and Fleur's shell cottage. Harry and Ron had given Hermione the bedroom and had taken the couches in the living room. She'd been tortured with the cruciatus curse for over an hour and had a bloody wound on her forearm. Fleur had been tending to her each day, although unable to do much yet since Hermione had remained basically unconscious for the first three days after their escape. She also tended to Luna, Ollivander, and Griphook the goblin who had all arrived safely to the cottage, due to the great bravery of a courageous little elf. 

  She felt like her insides had been rubbed raw. She had little to no strength, unable to stand or walk, it took considerable effort to even lift her head. Her mind was blank, her brain overcome with a constant tenderness. Her arm burned, the word 'mudblood' permanently engraved on her skin. The flames licking it only mildly tamed by a potion Fleur had brewed for her. 

  Her heart ached, but it was soothed by the pendant that still hung on her neck. The glow had been a constant presence, and Hermione thought sadly about the wizard who was causing it. Ever since lying on the marble, the glowing had intensified, so even through the pain, Hermione had some sort of contentment, and had curiously had no nightmares through what sleep she did get. 

  Her bedroom door opened slowly and Fleur slowly entered the room, softly closing the door behind her. She turned and smiled slightly at Hermione. 

  "Morning, love."

   Hermione smiled at the beautiful blond witch. "Morning, Fleur."

   She came closer to sit next to Hermione on the bed. " 'ow are you feeling zees morning?"

   "I'm feeling a bit stronger today. I walked downstairs earlier to make tea. Although that's wiped me out a bit."

   Fleur's eyes lit up. "Zat ees wonderful! 'ow about ze pain elsewhere?"

   Hermione's brow furrowed. "Pain isn't great today."

   The older witch nodded and pursed her lips. "What 'urts ze most?"

   Hermione paused to assess how all of everything felt. "I still feel really weak, like almost empty, and my arm feels like it's on fire. But the worst pain are these cramps I'm having in my stomach. And I keep feeling like I need to pee, like a lot." 

  She tucked her hair behind her ear and thought. "Ze stomach pain ees not ze typical Cruciatus seemptoms, so we will have to zeenk about zat. Let me do ze healing on ze arm first." 

   She crossed her legs and sat directly across from Hermione. Hermione gingerly placed her wounded arm in front of her and Fleur carefully unwrapped the bandage. The wound covered her entire forearm in a large purple bruise, and in the middle glistening with fresh blood a roughly scratched 'mudblood'. Fleur whispered a spell and slowly moved her wand up and down her arm, her wand glowing a light blue. Hermione felt a menthol mint soothing feeling overcome her skin and she couldn't help the tear that fell on the quilt as she looked at the scar she'd be left with for the rest of her life. The word that had haunted her since she was eleven, the term she had spent so many years trying to prove to people that she was better than, only to be scarred with it.

  " 'Ermione do you know when your last cycle was?" Fleur suddenly spoke softly.

   Hermione paused. "Last month, I guess. But they've been irregular with all the stress and weight loss from barely eating." 

   As the words passed through her lips she froze. Cramping, peeing all the time, but she was on the pill,.... but would that work in the wizard world? 

   "Oh shit," she whispered, staring through the window. Fleur paused in wrapping her arm back up. 

   "What ees eet?" 

    Hermione exhaled. This couldn't really happen right? "Um, Fleur, do you have a pregnancy test?"

    Fleur wrinkled her nose. "A pregnancy test?" 

   "In the muggle world, you can buy kits that can detect pregnancy. Although I think you have to be over three weeks gone for it to even work-"

   "Oh no no, 'ermione," she interrupted, very flustered. "Een ze weezarding world we just use our wands. And we can detect eet after one week." Fleur held up her wand and whispered another charm, pointing at Hermione's stomach. Her wand slowly turned to glow purple and then pink. Her eyes widened and she nodded. Yes. 

   "Oh my god," Hermione gasped. 

    "Wait Fleur, why did it turn two colors?"

    "Ze purple ees poseeteeve, and the peenk tells you eets a gurl." Fleur looked at Hermione with a panicked look on her face. " 'ermione, ees eet Ron's?" 

    Hermione shook her head slowly. No. It was Draco's daughter. 

    "What are you going to tell 'eem?! Zees weel crush 'eem!!" 

    "I know! I don't know. I'm just not going to tell him. We have too much going on right now, this can't come up," she decided. She was almost glad she was too busy fighting to defeat the darkest wizard of all time to worry much about telling anyone she was going to have Draco Malfoy's baby. 

    "You could tell 'arry. Zat way you have one of zem on your side?" Fleur offered, looking at Hermione sympathetically. 

     Hermione nodded absent-mindedly. "Maybe. But Fleur do not tell anyone, don't tell Bill, I can't have any Weasley know." 

    Fleur nodded. 

    They sat in the quiet for a few minutes, Hermione silently panicking. 

    "I'm going to go check on zee Goblin and Meester Oleevander," Fleur spoke, moving to stand next to the bed. Hermione nodded, again, absent-mindedly. 

    Fleur opened the door to leave, to find Ron standing in front of the door. Hermione's eyes widened to see him. Had he heard anything? 

    Ron smiled grandly at her and took a step into the room. "Oh good, you're up," he spoke softly, coming to kneel next to her bed, resting his arms on the quilt. Fleur left the room, giving Hermione a pointed look and closing the door behind her. 

   Ron watched Hermione, a slight smile on his face, his hand moving to hold hers. 

   "You know I was thinking, it's so nice here, when this is all over, the two of us should come back here," he suggested, obviously hoping to cheer her up. 

   Hermione blinked back the tears that had formed in her eyes, and nodded. "That would be nice," was all she could respond with. 

   Ron's face lit up with her response. "Yeah wouldn't it? We could get back to the way things were, maybe talk about,... our future,...maybe?" 

   Hermione frowned slightly at that. Why did he feel like this was something they could talk about right now? The first day she was feeling slightly better, with Dobby just buried outside, the final battle looming in the not too distant future?

   "Why don't we wait to see what happens?" she offered, giving him a tight smile. 

   He looked at her, deflated in his demeanor. "Sure," he whispered, returning her tight smile and leaning over to kiss her cheek. Hermione slightly stiffened at the contact, not going unnoticed by Ron. He cleared his throat and stood. He awkwardly rustled his hair and looked away. 

   "I'm gonna go see if your breakfast is ready," he murmured, leaving her alone in the room. 

   Hermione sat alone on her bed, clutching her mug, letting her tears fall. She squeezed her eyes shut and let the tides roll in, feeling the ache in her chest for the loss of the love she once had for the boy with her, and for the love of the boy whose child grew in her. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So big news guys!   
> Next chapter will be up soon! <3  
> Leave me your thoughts!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so so sorry that this is two weeks late. I was having horrible writers block writing this, it just wasn't coming to me. Plus I had exams for my summer courses a few days ago, so I really sat down and wrote this today. I promise the next few chapters up sooner. I hope this is worth the man I portray within it, this is my tribute to the bravest man in the series.

    Draco apparated into Hogsmeade in the early hours of the morning. The wards set to alert the Death Eaters who guarded Hogsmeade did not detect Draco, due to his mark. He regained his stance from apparating and leaned against the stone wall of the shop he'd landed closest to. He looked up to see the sign had been burned, but the letters weren't too singed to read the sign, spelling ' **Honeydukes'.**

   What had once been a bright and bustling village was a dark gloomy street, the morning fog making it especially bleak. It saddened and shook him to his core to find what had been a place of such unadulterated joy and fun in his otherwise miserable childhood in such a state. 

  Draco began walking up to the castle. Although it was early, the silence eerily enveloped him. One could usually sense the hustle and bustle of the beginning of a new day at Hogwarts. This morning was different, the staggering silence was stifling to Draco, climbing the hill towards the castle. As he passed it, he noticed the smoke that usually billowed from Hagrid's cottage chimney was missing.

   He approached the castle and watched as the grand wooden doors of the front entrance creaked slightly open, letting some of the warm light of the grand foyer through the fog. A dark figure with flowing black robes stepped out and gestured at Draco to run to him. Draco ran the few feet and stepped inside, the door closing behind him.

  His godfather began walking down the hall, turning to signal him to follow, pressing his finger to his lips, urging him to stay silent. Draco followed closely behind him, the two making their way through the dark and somber halls. Draco recognized several Death Eaters patrolling the corridors, eyeing the two men passing through. They reached the end of the hall in front of a large statue. He heard his old Potion's master whisper the password, what sounded like "Lily". The statue turned and rose, revealing a spiral stone staircase.

   "There won't be many days until the end," Severus murmured as they climbed the last few steps and entered his office. The room decorated with the moving portraits of every man who had been in his place, all of them with rather nasty looks on their faces as Severus entered the room, all but the recent portrait of Albus Dumbledore who smiled softly and sadly at the two entering.

   Draco nodded in silent agreement and plopped down to lie on the loveseat on the side of the room, throwing his bag on the floor next to him. He looked at the sight of Severus Snape, who took his seat behind his desk, waving his wand at the teaset on the table behind him. The middle-aged man had dark heavy bags under his eyes and hadn't bothered to cast a shaving or grooming spell to himself, so his stubble was at it's worst and his hair was mussed badly. Draco got the feeling when he had visited his godfather a little over a week ago that he did not expect to live through the next month and was dedicating all of his time to arming the castle for the inevitable battle to come.

  "How much longer do you think it will be?"

   Severus waved his wand and a cup levitated over to Draco. "I'd say it can't be more than two weeks away. I believe the boy has one more stop before he makes his way here. But I believe it'll be about a week before they begin moving again. They need to regroup."

   Draco nodded again. He knew his godfather was keeping close tabs on Potter to know how much time he had to prepare. He was careful to not give Draco too much information to avoid risking anyone else finding out. Draco had not revealed the specific reason he had asked for the tuning up of his Occlumency skills last time he had visited, but Severus had not pressed the boy, simply accommodating his needs with a knowing look.

   The young wizard took the tea and sipped it, placing it on the table next to him. "Is there anything I can help with?"

   The man nodded absent mindedly and gestured toward the book before him.

   "I am reading through all the protective spells to buildings that can be done, it's been difficult getting them together with the other tasks from the other side. We'll need to cast wards on the dungeons, where we'll send the underage students who will not be fighting. I'm sure the thought will occur to Minerva," the man muttered to himself, flipping the pages.

  "Severus, I will drop the hint from my portrait within her own office," the wise former headmaster spoke, looking down at the man from his half-moon specs.

  "Good, good," he responded brashly, picking up another book without removing his eyes from the current page. "Draco will you look through this for extended protective charms?"

  Draco stood and took the large battered volume from the man's grasp. "Can I take some parchment to send an owl?" he asked lowly.

  "I can get it to Ms. Granger, just write it without any names or clues to yours or her identity," he advised without a look in his godson's direction.

   He gaped at his godfather. "How did you,-"

   "I made the guess during your last visit and your mother may have mentioned something when she warned me you were coming. It won't get to her for several days, but it will get to her." The pale wizard looked up at Draco, and he was saddened by the blank look in the man's face. 

   He took parchment hesitantly, his hands almost shaking. "You don't think me foolish for it?" 

   "Perhaps, boy, but believe me I am in no position to judge you foolish when I myself found love with someone at your age I would never have been accepted with, and quite frankly, judged unfit for." 

   Curiosity peaked, Draco stayed standing next to the man, his eyes wide with intrigue. "Oh?"

   The tired man arched an eyebrow and made the face of defeat. "My demise is impending and bound upon us within a matter of days, so I suppose someone should be aware that Severus Snape did once have a heart. I failed her, in more ways than one and more times than once." 

   A thought clicked in Draco's head and he couldn't help the whispered "Lily" that left his lips. "Lily Evans? Potter's mother?" 

   Severus turned back around to face the volume before him. "We'll not address it further." 

   Draco took that as a dismissal and made his way back to the sofa, large book in hand. He cracked upon the cover and before his eyes met the first word his godfather spoke again. 

   "Just do better than I, Draco. Be braver. Don't let her haunt you like I myself am haunted," his eyes suddenly wide and his face grim.  

    Draco nodded, meeting the man's eyes. Severus dropped his eyes and returned to his work. 

    The young wizard tapped his fingers on the book before setting it next to him and reaching in his bag for a quill. He pulled one out and laid the parchment out on the table next to him, and wrote. 

 

            _I hope this finds you safe and well. My inability to come find you and ensure that you are okay is agonizing. I am not expecting a response, I do not expect or ask for you ever to forgive me. Just know my family will answer for their actions that night, I promise you. I hope you still wear the pendant so you can know how much I am thinking of you._

_In case this is my only opportunity to communicate this to you, I'm writing it here. Falling for you has been a process spreading across several years; it was not something that occurred in that short time that we had together three weeks ago. It was sealed within me that day fourth year, when you stood up against Moody on the Unforgivable curses day. You were as good and brave as I wished I could be. I'm sorry I was too cowardly and shameful to not tell you earlier._

_I will see you soon, my love. I will make every attempt to make this up to you when this is all over, if you will ever have me._

_Yours eternally,_

_Daniel Malloy_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I did them justice. Thank you for reading! Feel free to leave me your thoughts if you'd like! The next chapters will come quicker than this one did <3


	18. Chapter 18

    Hermione refolded the note and held it tight in her grasp. She'd managed to keep her cool since finding out her news that morning and she wasn't about to let Draco's owl ruin her. She took a deep breath and tucked the note in the pocket of her coat, pulling it on over her black sweater, wincing at the stretching of her arms. The panic that had settled in after finding out, she had chosen to use as nervous energy, and gotten herself dressed and decided to join the others for the day. She charmed her hair into it's neat waves and pocketed her wand. 

    She went downstairs and was greeted Fleur wiping her hands on a dishtowel in the kitchen. She smiled and nodded her head towards the left, towards the living room. 

    Hermione stepped onto the carpeted floor of the living room. Harry and Luna stood arranging flowers on the coffee table, and Ron sat in an oversized chair that sat in the corner of the room, reading the most recent copy of the Quibbler. All six eyes looked up at her entrance, Ron standing and Luna coming over to give her a gentle hug. 

     "How are you feeling?" Luna asked in her chime-like voice, rubbing her hands on her friend's arms in a comforting manner. 

     "I'm okay, but I've decided if I convince myself that I'm all better that my body will have no choice but to catch up," she retorted, tugging down at the hem of her sweater.

     "That sounds like the Hermione I know," Harry chuckled, turning to look at Ron, who stood in silence, looking concerned. 

      Hermione smiled at her bespectacled friend and looked down at his handiwork. "What are the flowers for?" 

     "Harry and I are arranging them to bring for Dobby, his stone needs fresh flowers," said Luna, a little cheerily for arranging flowers for their newly deceased friend. Harry smiled a tight smile at Hermione and leaned down to pick up his coat and then gather the bunch of wildflowers on the table.

     "I'm gonna go take them out," he spoke, moving to the front door. 

      "Wait, Harry, let me come with you, I haven't gotten to see him yet," Hermione squeezed Luna's hand and made her way to follow Harry. 

      "Hermione, are you sure you should go outside yet? You should take it slow," Ron warned, taking a step towards her. 

      "I'm fine, Ron," she responded shortly, not even bothering to look at him. She couldn't deal with him yet, the way he was looking at her was killing her and for whatever reason making her feelings toward him worsen. Harry exchanged a look with Ron over her shoulder and shrugged, handed the flowers to Hermione and opened the door. 

      Hermione stepped out and Harry closed the door behind them, linking his arm around her waist to give her some support. 

      "I'm honestly fine, Harry," she scolded, but Harry's arm stayed. 

      "Just humor us, 'mione," he smiled slightly. Hermione nodded in surrender, silently grateful that he was there, just in case she overestimated her strength. 

      They walked in silence, over the sandy hill, taking in the overcast sky and the crashing waves. The fresh air in her lungs filled her with new strength, the grogginess that spending a week in the same room had given her fading away. 

      They stepped over a pile of rocks and came upon a smooth plateau of sand, one large rounded stone sitting above a rectangular mound. They moved to stand before it, Harry taking the flowers from Hermione and removing his arm from her waist to crouch down on his knees. Hermione kneeled down slowly, slightly behind him. Harry placed the flowers in front of the stone, his hand lingering on the stone before moving back into his lap. 

      They sat quietly, remembering Dobby. Harry's shoulders shook and Hermione knew he was fighting the urge to cry. She leaned over him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, leaning her head on his shoulder. 

       "I'm so sorry, Harry," she whispered, watching as he allowed a single tear to fall. She didn't know what words would best comfort him, that Dobby was just too good and brave for this world, that he had been given one of the best lives a house elf could have been given and it was all due to Harry. She knew he knew all of it, but didn't say it, allowing the silent remembrance to be enough for now.  

      "Do you want anything engraved on the stone?" she asked softly after sitting for a few minutes. He nodded and pulled out his wand. She whispered the engraving spell to help, and he worked, wiping his nose on his sleeve. When he finished, he leaned back into Hermione, looking at his work.

     _Here lies Dobby, a free elf._

"Perfect," she smiled, rubbing his shoulder. 

      They continued to sit with Dobby, and Hermione couldn't help but think of who else's grave they would end up having to mourn when this was all over. Dobby would not be the last kind soul to give their lives in this war. The thought brought Hermione back to her news, and she felt her heart pick up speed and her stomach cramp. What would happen in the next few months, should she even bother worrying about it, if she was not even sure if she'd be alive to need to concern herself with the idea of becoming a young mother? Of course the idea terrified her, but the idea that something would happen to,...it... was worse. There were other options, Hermione thought to herself, but this thought did nothing to soothe her. 

      "Are you okay? Do you need to go back?" Harry asked, noticing Hermione's pained expression. The witch shook her head and bit her lip. 

      "Harry I'm pregnant," she whispered, staring straight ahead, her hand moving to cover her mouth. She'd said it outloud for the first time and it was surreal. 

      Harry breathed deeply and rubbed his brow. "Shit," he muttered under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

      "You could stay here," he said absent-mindedly. "Ron and me could finish." 

       Hermione shook her head and cleared her throat. "This isn't going to affect our plans," she stated. "It's simply a matter that'll have to wait until this is all over. I just needed to tell one of you and it couldn't very well be Ron." 

      "No not Ron," he chuckled bitterly. "Oh, Ron," he exhaled. "That's not going to be fun to deal with." He squeezed her hand. 

      "I'm on your side, no matter what, 'mione," he promised her. "I'll help deal with Ron." 

      Her eyes watered with tears and she smiled at her friend. "Thank you," she whispered. The boy nodded and took a deep breath. He touched his hand to the newly engraved stone. He whispered a thank you to Dobby and stood, pulling Hermione with him. They linked arms and walked back to the cottage, Hermione's hand in her pocket, clutching the folded parchment, her heart heavy with terror and sorrow, soothed slightly by the mysterious glow she felt on her chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Harry's her ally, as we all knew he would be. 
> 
> The next chapter will be up in a couple of days, I think there might be a few more chapters left than I was anticipating. I just want to make sure I get it right. 
> 
> Thank you for reading, and please leave me your thoughts if you feel like sharing! <3 <3


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I wrote this chapter the night I wrote the first three chapters. I've been driving this so that I could finally get to this point. This is probably my favorite chapter.

    Draco sat on the edge of the sofa tapping his foot, waiting for his godfather to return to his office. He'd been alerted by the Carrows that there had been a sighting of Potter in Hogsmeade and that he was now in the castle, so Snape left for the great hall where he'd gathered all students to address everyone. 

   This could be it, he thought, impatiently twirling his wand between his fingers. He'd gone stir crazy staying in Snape's rooms, helping him prepare. Snape had gone to obliviate the guards within the castle who had seen Draco enter the castle, keeping his location a secret. He sat hoping this would be it and that he would have a chance to go find her. He was both thrilled and nervous with the idea of seeing her again, knowing there was a good chance she'd be angry with him. 

   The waiting was driving him mad, so he stood to pace instead. Snape had been gone for fifteen minutes. Draco paced, thinking over each awful scenario of what could have happened downstairs in fifteen minutes. Plenty of time for something to go wrong already.

  He'd crossed the room several times, when there was a wooshing sound behind him. He turned and found Snape's patronus waiting for him. 

  "They're here," Snape's disembodied voice spoke. "Begin on the seventh floor." The doe vanished and Draco stood in silence. 

   "I think a 'good luck Draco' could have been fitted in there," he muttered under his breath, not wasting any time dashing out of Snape's rooms and into the hallway. 

   He was almost knocked over by several Ravenclaw fifth year girls who were running through the hall, among dozens of other students. He ran to the staircase, fighting against everyone who was running downstairs so he could climb the two stories to the seventh floor. He ran down to the first balcony, stepping into the evening sunset and feeling the breeze against his cheek. He raised his wand and began muttering the incantation. 

   "  _Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, Repello Inimicum."_ He repeated it until he saw a saran wrap type of ghostly material soar to the sky, and then ran to the other side of the balcony to repeat the process. In the middle of his muttering, Professor Flitwick puttered out onto the balcony to gap at Draco. Draco did not cease his chanting, giving the professor a pointed look, reassuring him. Flitwick gave him a affirmative nod and a slight smile, and then left the boy to continue, making his way down to the front foyer. 

   Draco repeated this through four balconies down the first wing of the seventh floor, and then turned to run down the long hallway before the next row of balconies began. He'd run several feet before he heard a low rumbling sound within the walls of the hall. He paused before a large tapestry, the rumbling growing louder. He looked at the tapestry closer and realized where he was. This tapestry marked where the Room of Requirement was. He stepped backwards, anticipating what came next. 

   The large doors of the Room of Requirement appeared and burst open, three figures on broomsticks flying out and crashing on the ground before the doors slammed closed behind them. Draco ran up to the pile they formed on the ground and felt his heart stop as he saw golden waves of hair lying on the ground covering her face. 

   She lay limp on the ground next to a broom, which evaporated as Draco approached. He crouched down on his knees next to her, pushing her hair away so he could check her for any injury. She had a scratch above her left eyebrow and on her right cheek but she looked otherwise okay. 

   She blinked her eyes back to consciousness to see Draco gazing down at her in sheer panic. The sight of his face made her eyes widen before she squeezed them shut, the tears beginning to pour out of them. It made his heart collapse. He looked to her left arm, and pushed the sleeve of her black hoodie up. He growled at the sight of her wound, the wound "mudblood" glistened red, angrily inflamed. He pressed his lips to the wound, kissing it, tears falling from his eyes as well. 

   She writhed away from his touch and he longed for when she writhed under him into his touch. 

  He put a hand on either side of her waist and lifted her up. 

   Harry got up, and pulled Ron up with him. When Ron saw Malfoy touching her, he made to tackle him but Harry formed an iron grip around him. 

   "You lost her, mate. You gotta let go. Let it happen, you owe her this," he murmured over his shoulder, Ron fighting against his grip, growling and crying out.  

   Draco lifted her, overpowering her breathless protests and meager pushes. He pinned her against the wall, holding her up so she didn't have to support herself yet. He pressed his forehead against hers, begging her silently to open her eyes to him. 

   "Hermione, please," he pleaded, his voice breaking. A sob ripped through her chest and she opened her red rimmed eyes. 

   He breathed heavily against her, holding onto her hips. She raised her hands to cover her face. He ran his hands up her sides, coming up to grab her hands, pulling them away from her face. He kissed her knuckles, gazing into her eyes, their noses touching. He cradled her head in his hands, tucking her hair behind her ears. 

    "Draco," she cried, looking down, no longer fighting. "I-..."

    He silenced her, kissing her with an open mouth. He willed all the love and ache in his heart to slip through his lips into her so she could begin to understand how deeply he felt about everything that had happened. Ron made a sound like a wounded animal and collapsed in Harry's grip. 

   Draco's lips moved against hers, passionately, never letting up, moaning into her. She trembled beneath him, his heart lifting as she moaned into his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck, pulling on his hair. 

   He lifted her and she wrapped her legs around his hips, their kiss not breaking. Draco was hard with the urge to take her right then and there, feeling the ache in his chest he'd felt for her for months. But with the battle around them and Weasley decompensating, this was as far as they'd go for now. 

   It physically pained him to pull away, he caressed her cheeks as they both caught their breaths. 

   "I am so sorry," he whispered, holding on to her as his life raft. She nodded and he wiped away her freshest tears. 

   "So sorry," he repeated, looking down at his feet, feeling shame enveloping him as he stood before her. 

   "I know," she whispered, tilting his chin up with her finger, giving him a sad smile. 

   "I love you, 'mione," he declared, his voice low. She shook her head, biting her lip and looking up at the ceiling. He forced her eyes back to his. 

    "I fucking love you so much," he continued. "I love you so much, I don't know anything for sure except that I love you. You're everything. I love looking at you, I love talking to you, I love being near you, I love," he laughed and then sighed "fucking the shit out of you," grinding his pelvis against hers, making her gasp loudly. 

    "I feel so lucky to have loved you," he concluded, placing a searing kiss on her lips. She stood on her tippy toes and wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. He unpinned her from the wall and held her hands in his, forcing her to stand on her own. 

    "If you're seen with me, you'll be killed," he told her, "but the second Harry finishes him I will run to you and if you'll have me, I am never letting you go." He kissed her one last time, wrapping her tightly in his arms. He took a deep breath of her and broke away, not looking back. He headed towards the wing where he still needed to cast the charm. 

   "Draco!" she shouted. He paused and turned around, looking at her from several feet away, waiting. 

    "I love you!" she shouted, clutching her hands to her chest. 

    His smile was brighter than the sun and he felt himself lose his footing, feeling light, wavering in his stance. He whooped like a victorious Seeker who had just caught the snitch for the World Cup. 

    "Hurry up and fucking finish this, Potter!" he shouted, his eyes locked on the girl. "I can't handle this much longer!" 

     And with that, he ran into the corridor, vanishing. 

   

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's sappy, but I think it's bearable, I love it. I hope you guys think so too! Leave me your thoughts!!! <3 <3


	20. Chapter 20

    Hermione stood and watched Draco disappear down the hallway. She felt re-energized after seeing him, knowing he was okay. They'd been going nonstop since the day before when they'd left Shell Cottage for Gringotts, and Hermione had started to feel haggard as the final battle began around them, but seeing him had just restored the fire in her. However she now had a pit in her stomach, of course, seeing him made what she had to tell him all the more real. Her heartbeat picked up, but she pushed away all thoughts of it, reminding herself she had other things to focus on now. Her stomach lurched as she remembered the pained sounds Ron had made when Draco had kissed her, and she turned around to face him. 

    Harry stood next to Ron, who crouched against the wall, his head in his hands. Hermione's dazed expression broke into one of sadness, and she stepped in front of Ron, kneeling down in front of him. 

    "Ron, please, look at me," she begged, encircling her hands around his wrists, tugging his hands away from his face. 

    He met her gaze with tear-filled eyes and a flushed face. "Malfoy?" he whispered painfully. "Are you fucking kidding me? How could you do this to me? To both of us?" he gestured to Harry, who closed his eyes in a pained expression. "He's been a git to you for YEARS!" He began to raise his voice, and stood, pulling his hands away from her. His expression changed from one of sadness to one of anger, his brow furrowing and his eyes like daggers cutting into her. "HE STOOD AND WATCHED YOU GET TORTURED BY HIS OWN FAMILY!" he roared, clenching his fists at his sides. 

    "Ron, please," she begged again, her own tears beginning to fall. "He couldn't have done anything to help me, Voldemort promised he'd kill his mother if he didn't go along with everything. He came when you were gone, I was such a wreck, and he came,....and he made me laugh for the first time in weeks," she explained, moving to stand in front of him, staying close to him. "And we spent a day together, and a night-..."

    "So, what," he interrupted harshly, "because I left you dove into the arms of our 8 year long enemy, a Death Eater, no less?" He looked at her with disgust, scowling at her. 

    "It wasn't meant to be like that, he came to get away from his family, so we spent time together,-..."

    "Like hell he told you he went to get away from his family, slimey git'll tell you anything he has to to get into your knickers, 'mione."

    "He's changed, you saw him just now, he's running around the castle putting up protective charms! He's not with the Death Eaters!"

    "We don't know what he's doing, he's probably running right now to go tell his mummy and daddy where we are so they can tell Voldemort and come find us."

    "Draco wouldn't do that, Ronald, he's on our side! If you would stop being so thickheaded for two seconds,-" 

    "You sound so pathetic, Draco is it now? Wow he must have really fucked you good if this is how you defend him after 8 years of him tormenting you."

    Her eyes narrowed and she felt her chest harden. "I'm sorry if this fucks up your plans, Ronald Weasley. What'd you expect, we'd married this winter, first little Weasley on the way by this summer?" His grimace remained, but his eyes softened, at hearing her mention their future. She noticed, and softened her expression, keeping her tone hard.

    "Honestly Ron, after the way you behaved in crisis, with jealousy and abandonment? It was going to be hard for us to move past all this." 

    He stayed silent, his fists clenched, staring straight into her eyes defiantly. 

    "I'm so sorry Ron," she whispered, moving closer to him, and he took another step back. "I love him, and I'm so sorry that I've hurt you." 

    Ron shook his head, his lips forming a tight line. "I'll kill him before I lose you to him." 

    "Ron, I'm pregnant," she spit out, her hands going up in defeat. Ron's face fell, and his grimace formed a hard line, his eyes left her to look blankly past her. 

    "He doesn't know yet," she whispered, her own eyes going to the floor. "I was going to wait until this was all over before telling either of you." 

    "You were supposed to be mine," Ron muttered, his eyes looking up to search Hermione, desperately. "It was supposed to be my kid." 

    "I'm so sorry, Ron," she cried, wiping her eyes. 

    They stood in silence until Harry finally spoke, a minute later. 

    "Guys, I'm really sorry you don't have more time, but we should get running down to the shack where he's with the snake," he spoke softly, his hand going to Ron's shoulder. Hermione wiped the last of her tears, and nodded, following Harry as he lead them down the corridor towards the stairs. Ron followed the two, running after them after gathering himself. 

 

     The trio ran down the stairs and came upon Percy and Fred Weasley dueling an Imperiused Pius Thicknesse. 

     "Hello Minister! Did I mention I'm resigning?!" Percy shouted jovially at his duelling opponent. 

     "You're joking Perce!" Fred cackled, shooting a curse at Thicknesse. "You actually are joking! I don't think I've heard you joke since you were-" 

      There was a rumbling as a column in the hall collapsed, Harry and Percy pulling Fred out of the way, the three men tumbling over, as Hermione cast a "Protego!", shielding all except Thicknesse from the falling rubble. 

      Hermione ran to Fred, smoothing his hair, gently jostling him. He opened his eyes and cracked a grin. 

     Hermione felt a rush as the relief flooded her chest that he was okay. There were sudden footsteps and George appeared in a panic. 

     "Is everyone alright?" he asked, in a more serious tone than she'd ever heard from him. 

    "George, Gred, you should have heard it, Perce here made a funny!" Fred exclaimed, chuckling and gesturing to his elder brother. "There may be hope for him yet!" The other five wizards regarded him with happy disbelief. Harry patted his shoulder and climbed over the rubble to keep running down the stairs. Hermione paused to throw her arms around him, Fred unable to resist whispering "Ah gonna go for an older wiser Weasley, eh? Maybe find me after the battle, eh love?". She kissed his cheek and ran after Harry, Ron following close behind after giving his brothers an eye roll and forcing a grateful smile. 

    They ran down the stairs, through the Great Hall, casting curses and shields as they went. They ran through the courtyard, down the hill and towards the shack where Harry had seen Voldemort and Nagini. When they were halfway down the hill towards the shack Ron grabbed Hermione's arm to hold her back, Harry continuing running. 

    "Thank you for saving my brother," Ron murmured to her, his face still wearing his heartbreak. 

    Hermione nodded anxiously, wanting to follow Harry. "Of course, Ron, I'll always love you, you and your family." 

    She gave him a small smile and continued running. 

    "You really love him, 'mione? And you're sure he loves you too?" he shouted, running behind her. 

     "Yes!" she shouted, disappearing behind the trees before the shack. 

    Ron gathered himself again and forced himself to keep going, despite the loss he felt within his chest. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have an issue with not having things in multiples of five, so I'm going to end this at Chapter 25. I tried to portray Ron as I felt he would actually act, but try to not demonize him as many fanfictions do. I hope everyone appreciates that I've saved Fred, his death is definitely the one that affected me most. Like beyond Sirius and Dumbledore. I had to save him in my own HP universe in my head, ya know? 
> 
> I'm worried this chapter is a little sloppy, but I just wanted to get the confrontation right, and I think I did. Thank you for reading!! <3 <3


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for everyone who read this when I had posted it the other day. I had published it after writing at like 2 in the morning so I was getting to that delirious sleepy place where what I had written had seemed okay to me, but I reread it when I woke up and was very unhappy with it, so I took it down and worked on it a bit more tonight.

You couldn’t tell by looking at her, but if you were used to the way her stomach felt to the touch you would notice the slight change. Hermione’s heart raced at the thought of it growing, not sure what kind of world she might be entering it into. If she would do that at all, she thought to herself, her airway tight. It would all depend on the next few moments, now that Harry had killed the horcrux within himself he could finally end all of this.

Footsteps clapped on the marble as someone ran into the hall. Draco stopped when he was feet away from Hermione, a broad grin across his face. She rose to her feet, knowing standing she’d be less likely to give away her condition.

“Neville’s killed the snake!” he announced, and Hermione felt the grin spread across her own. From where she stood she could see directly outside into the courtyard. A sudden burst of red light and Draco was at her side, scooting her to be slightly behind him to shield her from fall out of the powerful curses, but not blocking her view.

Harry was grinning wildly and Hermione’s heart swelled for the boy, her best friend. His wand gained on Voldemort, whom appeared to be losing his hold. Hermione’s hand clutched at Draco’s, and he squeezed firmly back, his eyes fixed on the final duel. She heard footsteps clap to approach behind her and she felt a warm hand grab her other. She turned to the side to see Ron raise her hand to his lips, kissing her knuckles, meeting her eyes to acknowledge his surrender. She smiled at him sweetly, tears falling silently, mouthing ‘thank you’. He nodded and shifted his vision to his best friend outside, meeting his fate.

With a sudden clatter of his wand, Voldemort’s wand fell and he collapsed on his knees. The dark wizard’s head fell forward before with a solemn drop, his body fell lifeless on the stone. Harry collapsed on his knees, bent over, breathing heavily.

There were a few seconds of silence, with everyone realizing what had just happened. The contents of the Great Hall had gathered around Hermione, Draco, and Ron, and the room was tense as the shock set in. Harry slowly stood and turned around to face Hogwarts, his eyes flickering to someone behind Hermione. The crowd abruptly broke out into a roar, and Harry grinned widely, walking steadily through the doorway and held his arms out as Hermione turned to see Ginny run to him. His arms wrapped around the slight waist of the lusciously curled ginger-haired witch tightly, and then moved his hands to cradle her face and kiss her deeply, slowly moving one hand to clutch the small of her back, leaning her back into a dip, their silhouette reminiscent of iconic WWII photos of the soldier coming back home to his girl. Whooping cheers broke out as the two did not break apart, kissing and clutching at each other in the catharsis of the victory.

Draco turned to look at Hermione, beaming brilliantly at her. She looked down to see their hands still clutching each other’s fingers. He jerked her hand to his side, pulling her to press against his chest. He slid his hand to cup her cheek and leaned down to press his smiling lips tenderly to hers. She stood on her toes to deepen the kiss, her hands anchoring his head to hers. He slid his other hand down to wrap around her waist. They kissed tenderly and deeply, reveling in the fact that they now had all the time in the world to be together. They heard someone cough and became suddenly aware of their viewers.  They reluctantly pulled apart and stood awkwardly in front of their audience, Draco unwilling to let her hand go. People looked at them bewildered and then eventually turned to go back in the Great Hall.

“I’m going to go help,” he whispered in her ear, kissing her cheek. She nodded and grinned at him.

 “I love you,” he called, as he walked away from her, walking backwards to use all possible opportunity to look at her, and then turning to run up the stairs. Hermione could not wipe the smile off of her face, and turned around to see her best boys standing behind her. She stepped quickly to wrap an arm around each of them, hugging them closely.

“You did it, Harry,” she whispered in his ear, and he nestled his face into the crook of her neck to muffle his exhausted, tearless sobs.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise she'll tell him soon. And I'm thinking I'm going to go in and add some drawings to go along with the story later, to illustrate some of my favorite moments :) Oh hey if anyone draws and wants to give it a shot, please do!! I'll put them in the story! I'm a terrible illustrator, I just thought I'd try. 
> 
> Thanks for reading <3 <3


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The moment you've been waiting for :)

Hermione stood with her hands on the railing of the Astronomy tower. The dawn was breaking, the sun beginning to rise over the hills, the view of the smoking castle silent against the periwinkle sky. Hermione inhaled deeply. Today would be the beginning of the rebuilding. Of the school, of society, of broken families, today would be the day when things could begin to heal.

They had lost so many. The bravest Slytherin to ever live, meeting his end, feeling as alone as he had his entire life. These would not be things that would be gotten over in the next few months. But today they could begin anew, beginning to rebuild after the destruction.

She couldn’t help but think of the tiny embryo within her, and how the world she would live in would be so much different than the one she was conceived in. A faint smile faded on to the young witch’s face, and she felt almost content for a moment, imagining the world that would blossom in the years to come.

Footsteps approached and Hermione turned to look over her shoulder. Draco reached the top step and stopped. His expression was blank but his eyes looked at her with yearning.

“What are you doing up, Granger?” he asked softly.

“I got a few hours of rest in. I don’t think I can say the same for you, though. How are you still moving?” she responded, unable to help the smile that grew on her face as she looked at the boy in front of her.

He rubbed the back of his head, looking uncomfortable and fidgety. “I was helping Potter and Longbottom get all the cots set out and putting out the rest of the fires, I was going to help Filch in the front hall but McGonagall told me to take a rest, so I came to look for you.”

Hermione’s expression broke into exasperation. “I think she meant take a cot for yourself, like to sleep on, you thickheaded boy, you’ve done too much.”

Draco abruptly closed the space between them and wrapped Hermione in his arms. He bent over awkwardly, nestling into her hair against her neck, his arms wrapped around her waist. Her arms wrapped around his neck, caressing the nape of his messy hair. The little cracks she felt in her body felt temporarily held together, being held so tightly by Draco.

He pulled back to look at her, keeping his arms around her waist.

“I’m so sorry,” he whispered, touching his forehead to hers, his eyes glazed with tears.

She shook her head and shushed him soothingly. He closed his eyes and tears leaked from the corners. As they fell down his cheek, she kissed them away.

“It’s gonna be okay, Draco,” she whispered, caressing his cheek. He leaned into her touch.

Being in his arms felt so right, but she felt an ache in her belly, telling her she had used up her time putting it off. This new dawn would not begin without telling him.

“Draco, I need to tell you something,” her voice trembled. He opened his eyes and looked down at her with concern. He didn’t speak, too scared of what she might say to prod her to speak. He hadn’t lost her to Weasley did he? He didn’t deserve her. But neither did he, really, he thought to himself.

“Um, I just want to tell you, just in case it changes things. I’m completely prepared to go through this on my own, if you feel like you can’t go through this, I understand completely, I don’t want you to feel like you’re stuck with me-“ she looked down at the ground as she rambled, and Draco interrupted her to tilt her chin up with his finger.

“You’re rambling, Granger. I promise whatever you say won’t change anything,” he reassured her, his heart beating in his chest.

She bit her lip and looked up to blink away tears, before meeting his gaze head on.

“I’m pregnant,” she choked out.

Out of shock, he released his grip on her waist.

“Is it Ron’s?” he whispered, internally clenching his chest in preparation for the answer.

Hermione furrowed her brow in confusion. “Ron’s? God no,” she sputtered out.

Draco’s eyes widened. “Mine?” he gasped.

Hermione nodded timidly. He felt himself breathe again, like his life source had been restored.

“How?” he almost chuckled in relief.

“We didn’t use anything, I thought the muggle contraception would work,” she explained, embarrassed.

“No, not against a pureblood wizard,” he confirmed, nodding. She was still averting his eyes.

“I’m so sorry Draco,” she broke into tears, sliding down to sit against the railing on the ground.

He took the few steps to kneel down in front of her, grabbing her hands and kissing her knuckles.

“Is it crazy that I’m not?” he asked, his heart soaring giddily. The love of his life was carrying his kid, how could he be mad at her?

She looked up at him, her eyes wide. “Yes, that is crazy,” she responded bluntly, looking at him in disbelief.

“Well I’m sorry, but the fact that you’re carrying my child makes me nothing but immensely proud and ecstatic,” he told her blankly, looking her dead in the eyes.

Hermione broke into tears and grinned widely. “Really?”

“Oh yes,” he breathed, returning her grin and closing the gap to kiss her deeply, cradling her head in his hands. Her hand caressed his cheek. He wrapped his arms around her and slowly stood, pulling her up with him, lifting her above him without breaking their kiss, slowly spinning her. 

“I love you,” she breathed into his ear. He opened his eyes and smiled goofily as the final tears were wiped away.

“I love you,” he responded, pressing a tender kiss to her lips. He lowered her to her feet, without releasing her, caressing her lips with his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Draco's been kind of mushy in my story, I just like to think that Hermione brings that out in him. Once all the hard stuff is over I think his usual sass will come back. Everyone happy with his reaction?! :) Let me know! And again, if anyone feels like drawing their favorite moments from this story, I'd love to see it and possibly edit the chapter it's from and insert it in the chapter :)
> 
> Thank you for reading!! <3 <3


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Draco settle into an almost domesticity,... ;)

Draco brought the last boxes of his late godfather’s belongings up the stairs of Malfoy Manor, and pressed his back against the third door down the hall to open the door. Hermione stood with one foot on a stool, reaching to dust the large armoire across from the bed. He quickly dropped the boxes on the side of the bed and ran over to put his hands on either side of her to hold her steady.

“For fucks sake, Granger, let someone else take care of that,” he grumbled exasperatedly.

“I am perfectly capable of doing my own dusting, thank you very much,” she retorted, but left the feather duster on top of the chest and stood with both feet on the stool, placing her hands on his shoulders.

After three days staying at Hogwarts to help usher all students home safely and begin the restoration of the castle, Hermione and Draco had decided to spend the next several weeks renovating the manor to remove all evidence of the last years’ events. They had arrived that morning, and Draco had gone back to Hogwarts to retrieve the remains of what had belonged to Severus Snape.

“You shouldn’t balance on top of things to reach so high up, in your condition you could fall and do something horrible,” he scolded, looking up into her eyes.

“Okay, Papa Bear,” she chuckled in surrender, leaning down to peck his nose. “Now help me down.”

He grasped her hips and lifted her up, lowering her slowly, pressing her body against him as her feet met the floor again. Their bodies tensed from the proximity and their eyes locked to each others. There had been very little alone time for the two of them, each time they’d find time they’d be dragged out by McGonagall, or another Order member who’d found something they needed help with. One hand remained on her hip, the other crept up to hold her cheek, caressing her face with his thumb.

“Did I miss anything when I was out?” he whispered, a smile creeping on his face as he gazed at the witch he held in his arms.

“Ronald finally signed your testimony, and Kingsley sent a patronus saying it has been approved!” she reported gleefully, wrapping one arm around his neck and placing the other on his chest.

His grin and his eyes widened at the news. Draco’s Death Eater involvement had been on trial, but thanks to notes kept by Snape through the Order over the course of the war, signatures from the Golden Trio and the new Minister of Magic, this meant Draco had been cleared of all charges. His mother had been cleared earlier in the week, because of the work she did spying for the Order, but his father had been sentenced 20 years in Azkaban.

He couldn’t help but feel as though he might begin to weep, over being forgiven so easily for all he had done. His eyes watered and Hermione could tell where his thoughts had gone.

“Hey,” she whispered, her hands cradling his face. She forced him to meet her eyes. “You are a good man, Draco,” she urged, her tone strong and firm. “Don’t go thinking this is something you don’t deserve. You did so much, and you went through hell, you are one of the bravest men I know.”

His smile came back and he pressed his forehead against hers. “You are bloody amazing, you know that?”

She grinned and tenderly pressed her lips into his. He deepened the kiss, running his hand through her hair. They broke away and he held both of her hands in his.

“I’m going to work every day to deserve you, you know that? Every single day,” he told her, a very serious look taking over his face. She furrowed her brow.

“That’s quite the statement,” she retorted. He kept his eyes locked with hers as he sank down to bend on one knee.

“What the hell are you doing?!” she shrieked, her hands still grasped in his.

“Hermione Jean Granger,” he began, kissing her knuckles with his grinning lips. “You are the great love of my life, and I want to spend every day of my life making you happy. I know if I do that, I will never doubt that I am a decent man, because you make me a better person. Will you do me the magnificent honor of letting me make you my wife?”

She felt weak in the knees and light headed as she smiled at the boy before her. She breathed a “Yes” and Draco quickly pulled a ring from his pocket and slid it over her slight finger, his hands shaking but sure. She gazed at the ring, an emerald cut diamond with small sapphires on either side.

“This isn’t a family heirloom,” he said apologetically. “I didn’t want you to have to wear a cursed piece of jewelry, this is especially for you, because you will be the first Lady Malfoy to be good and so worthy.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “I love you,” she laughed, and he quickly rose to his feet.

“I love you,” he responded, crashing his lips to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist, hugging her tightly against him. Her fingers tangled in his hair, tugging slightly as she opened her lips to him, meeting his tongue with hers. His hand slid under her camisole to caress the skin of her lower back. She moaned into his mouth.

“I’ve gotta have you right now,” she whispered into his ear when his lips left hers to lavish her throat and her pulse point. “It’s been weeks.”

He groaned and nipped at her weak spot, moving to sweep his arm under her knees and carry her to the bed. He laid her flat on the quilt, and she sat up to claim his mouth fiercely. He met her lips back with equal force, pressing her flat against the bed, crawling up the bed to loom over her. He unbuckled her jeans and slid them down her legs, throwing them off her feet and across the room. She pulled her camisole over her head and pulled his shirt off as well. Draco’s fingers tugged at the front clasp of her bra and it busted open with a pop and he tugged it roughly off her, quickly pressing his bare chest against hers, taking possession of her mouth hungrily.

He moved to kiss her stomach, and then to take one of her breasts into his mouth. She arched into him and moaned as he left love bites on her tender breast and then to the other. His hand traveled lower and nudged her knickers to the side to insert two of his fingers into her folds.

“You’re so fucking wet, Hermione,” he growled, licking his fingers.

 “All for you, Draco” she panted, her hips bucking into him.

“Hold your legs tight around me, kitten,” he breathed huskily. She crossed her ankles behind him and gripped her thighs around him. Feeling her tightly wrapped around him made him impossibly hard, as he thought of how tightly she’d be wrapped around him in a few more moments. He panted deep breaths to try to get himself to hold on.

He didn’t release her lips as he quickly unbuttoned his black jeans and pulled them and his boxers down to his knees, his hardened cock springing free. He was panting very heavily, and moved his hands to tug down her knickers.

Before he could reach back, Hermione took him into her hands, positioning him towards her entrance. She gently rolled her hips against him, as he slowly entered her. She hissed as he stretched her, while he moaned a loud “Fuck, love”, breathing hard against her throat before taking her pulse point back between his teeth.

She moaned sweetly and began rolling her hips against him, having adjusted to his size again. He thrusted into her once.

“Do you know what those sounds you make do to me?” He slowly withdrew and thrusted with full force back in. She cried out and drew up her knuckle to bite to muffle the sounds he was causing her to make. He pulled her arm down away from her, drawing it back to his shoulder.

He withdrew again. “I wanna hear you, ‘mione,” he growled, thrusting back into her.

“You realize after we’re married we get to do this every day for the rest of our lives?” he breathed into her ear. He pulled out slightly and then pounded into her again. “When we wake up?” Thud. “In the shower? Like that morning at the inn?” Thud. “I’ll come visit you at work and fuck you on your desk.” Thud. “After dinner, on the couch?” Thud. “Until we fall asleep, in the same bed?” Thud.

“Oh my god Draco,” she cried softly, panting heavily, rolling her hips into him. He captured her lips again and moved to brush his finger against her clit, once, then twice.

And then she felt the waves of her orgasm crash over her, gasping and making other small sounds that was making it harder for Draco to hold on. He kissed across her shoulder and let her ride it out, continuing to thrust to drag it out.

He slowly kneeled, holding her ass to keep her wrapped around his waist. At this new angle he could reach deeper within her, making their thrusts more powerful.

 “Fuck you feel incredible. So tight, so perfect,” he breathed.

She began to catch her breath, and pushed down on his shoulder. He was pushed to lie flat as Hermione took over, riding him, moving her breasts to press against his chest. Her thick curls were all pushed to the side, dangling over one shoulder. Her forehead had a thin sheen of sweat and her big round eyes were hooded in her passion, her lips swollen.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, leaning up slightly to capture her lips. She bent over, caressing his face while kissing him, continuing to grind with him inside her. The angle had both of them desperately close, and Hermione could tell in Draco’s face how hard he was trying to hold on.

“Come on Draco,” she purred, gazing at him with her mouth slightly open wantonly. “Come inside me, love.” He grabbed her waist and lifted his hips as he thrusted as deeply as he could go, finally letting himself release. The final hit within her walls finished her, her walls clutching at him as they rode out their climaxes together, grasping for each other’s lips, barely able to kiss, trying to catch their breath.

Hermione moved to lay next to him, and Draco wrapped his arm around her waist, his hand resting on her stomach. They laid in each other’s arms, comfortable knowing now that this was their life, there was no threat to their time together.

“I’m going to be a fat bride,” Hermione eventually spoke, whispering as the images of her in an amorphous white sack standing at the altar next to Draco began to trickle in.

Draco laughed, his chest rumbling with his chuckling. She swatted his arm and pulled herself away from him and stood next to the bed.

“I wouldn’t be laughing if I were you. This is your fault, you know,” she told him, turning around to look for her bag. She pulled out a black cotton knee-length dress, putting her bra back on before pulling it over her head.

“Why are you getting dressed?” he whined from where he laid watching her. She arched her brow at him and pulled the top third of her hair back into a bun.

“This wedding’s gotta happen in a month, before I’m showing, I am not wearing a potato sack while you get to be all sleek and handsome in your tux. I’ll go talk to your mother, I’m sure she’ll at least understand,” she muttered, smoothing down her skirt in the mirror. Draco pulled his boxers back on and rose from the bed to come wrap his arms around her.

“You’ll still be beautiful when you’re, well, globular,” he joked, nuzzling her neck. She giggled slightly and leaned into his embrace.

“But I will be more than enthusiastic for any reason to marry you sooner,” he kissed the top of her head and she turned in his arms to face him.

“Would you like me to go gather Mother and Daughter Weasley to help begin the planning?” he asked, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. She nodded and smiled slightly, and he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

“I’ll go talk to Mother Dragon,” said Hermione, apprehensively, taking a deep breath in. Draco released her from his arms and made his way to the door.

“She already loves you, ‘mione, don’t sweat it,” he called, leaving her with a smirk and a wink, disappearing down the hall.

Hermione assessed her appearance one last time before going downstairs to speak with Narcissa. Her throat sparkled with her pendant, and her hand sparkled as her ring caught the light from the window. She felt sophisticated in black and smiled affirmatively at her reflection. Maybe she could fit in as a Malfoy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry guys, next chapter will be the wedding :) 
> 
> Leave me your comments and love! <3 Thank you for reading!


	24. Chapter 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco and Hermione's wedding, wedding night, and evening in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this has taken so long to get up. I was in the hospital earlier in the month and this chapter just did not want to be written. But I did it, and I made it extra long to make up for the extra time. I'm trying to put in pictures, but I haven't quite figured that out yet, so I may edit this chapter when I've figured it out. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Suck in your baby gut, ‘mione,” Ginny told her from her place zipping up Hermione’s wedding gown. Hermione took a deep breath in through her lips and held her hand gently over her stomach. The zipper reached the top and she released her breath. She turned to face the full length mirror they’d placed in the tent.

When McGonagall had heard of their wedding plans, she had immediately offered the grounds of Hogwarts as a venue, the Order deciding that a wedding between a member of the Golden Trio and a former Death Eater/newly named war hero at Hogwarts would be a perfect way to usher in the new era that the end of the war had begun.

And the day of the wedding had arrived, this day at the end of June, and guests were gathering by the ceremony spot next to the Black Lake. They had set up the bridal suite in the tent that the bride herself had spent most of the last year living in, up the hill from the lake.

Hermione smoothed down the stomach of her slim fitting lace gown while Luna and Ginny crouched down in their matching gold bridesmaids dresses to fix the skirt that flared out slightly at the knees. The girls stood and grinned broadly at Hermione’s appearance. Her hair was in the usual smooth curls, the top third styled into an intricate knot as the rest cascaded down her back and over her shoulders. She had a slightly sparkly neutral eyeshadow and a modest cat eyed eyeliner, her lips stained a berry red, the color complimenting her creamy skin tone.

“Will I do?” she asked softly, furrowing her brow at her reflection.

“Malfoy’s gonna shit himself when he sees you,” Ginny replied, squeezing both of her shoulders before turning away to going to grab the garter.

“Charming, Ginevra,” Hermione retorted, grinning despite herself.

“Your something blue?” Ginny offered the garter and gestured to Hermione to hold out her leg. Luna silently moved closer to help hold the skirt up so that Ginny could climb underneath.

“Don’t try anything Weasley,” Hermione teased as her dear friend ventured down underneath her gown.

“We had our chance Hermione,” she muttered from down under.

“When do you think your wedding will be, Ginny?” Luna asked absent mindedly.

“Oh I don’t think it will be for a while. I need to live life for a while before he gets to tie me down,” Ginny climbed out from underneath the skirts. “Ooof, Malfoy’s a braver man than I, he’ll have to handle your skirts all on his own.” Hermione smiled as her eye caught Ginny’s brand new engagement ring, a slim gold ring with a large circle cut diamond.

“Knock knock?” a voice called from the front of the tent, and all three of Hermione’s mother figures entered the tent.

“Ginny what in Merlin’s name are you doing?” Molly Weasley interrogated at the sight of her daughter on her knees.

“I was fixing her skirt,” she replied exasperatedly, sweeping all of her curls to fall over one shoulder as she stood.

“Well for heaven’s sake, fix the bloody skirt and stand, you’ll wrinkle your own dress and this wedding needs to begin in the next five minutes,” Molly Weasley fluttered about the room, examining the bouquets on the table and neatening up the tea area.

Mrs. Granger approached her daughter with a smile and tear-filled eyes. “I brought the veil, darling.”

Draco had managed to get Hermione’s parents back a couple of weeks after the Final Battle, replenishing their memories of their daughter, filling in the necessary information needed about why they were gone. He had brought them back to the manor as a surprise for Hermione, and the Grangers had spent the last several weeks having quality time together over wedding planning with their future new family members.

“Oh wonderful! Would you pin it underneath the knot in my hair?” Hermione clapped excitedly.

Her mother nodded happily and moved to firmly tuck in the lace trimmed veil that ended at her lower back.

“Hermione, dear, I have a gift for your something new,” Narcissa pulled out a small jewelry box and placed it gently in Hermione’s hands, squeezing them as she stepped away.

Hermione opened the box and gasped at the pearl and diamond stud earrings. “They’re beautiful, Narcissa, thank you so much.” She put the earrings in and smiled at the sparkles they cast on the canvas walls of the tent. Narcissa had grown to be a wonderful supporting presence in her life over the course of the last month, the elder witch making sure all prenatal care was being taken care of, relieving any stress Hermione might have been feeling, being very cautious to make her feel welcome despite her family’s recent troubles.

Molly snuck up behind Hermione and gently pressed a pearl barrette into her hair to hold in the veil.

“A little something borrowed from me, love.”

“Oh Mrs. Weasley, thank you so much,” Hermione’s eyes brimmed with tears. She was so grateful she would still have Molly by her side even though it wasn’t Ron she was crossing the aisle towards. And that she would still be there to support her even when her son had decided the week of the wedding to go stay with Charlie and the dragons.

“Alright, enough of all the sappy, let’s get this going,” Ginny interrupted, holding her bouquet and kissing Hermione’s cheek as she moved to the front entrance of the tent. Luna handed Hermione her bouquet of white gardenias and dark green greenery.

“I put special charms on the flowers, it’ll protect them from nargles,” she warned, kissing her cheek as well and followed Ginny.

Hermione hugged each of the older women as they left the tent, first Narcissa, Molly, and then her mother. It was then that Hermione was left alone in the tent, and she heard the music starting, her queue to begin her way down the hill. As she took her first steps towards the exit, she was aware of the fact that she did not feel the slightest bit nervous, but like there was a natural pull towards the lake that she was happy to surrender to.  

 

Draco stood in front of the arch, with his groomsmen Blaise and Harry. The charmed harp was playing canon in D, and Draco couldn’t help the way he fidgeted in anticipation and anxiety. He was ready at any moment for the Weasel girl to come running out alerting everyone that Hermione had run for the hills and left. But as he caught a glimpse of Lovegood and the Weasel herself walking with their bouquets, he realized this was really going to happen.

His fear vanished completely. The bridal march started playing and everyone seated stood. Blaise leaned over to give Draco a pat on the shoulder.

“Calm down, bro, alright? She’s coming,” he whispered before taking his place in between him and Harry. Draco nodded and smiled slightly. He looked up and the breath he had been inhaling stopped short in his throat. The smile that took over his face felt like it could tear his mouth open.

Hermione shimmered in the warm light of the evening, and her veil waved slightly in the wind. She moved her gaze from the ground up to meet Draco’s eyes and met his smile with her own. He shook his head in disbelief as she stopped to stand in front of him.

“You ready for this, Malfoy?” Hermione challenged, arching an eyebrow with a sly grin.

Draco held out his arm for her to take. “Oh hell yeah, Granger. Bring it on.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

“Close your eyes, ‘mione,” Draco urged, one of his hands wrapping around her waist, the other holding her left hand. They were standing in the entrance of the castle, making the getaway from their reception, the band still blasting inside the hall.

“Why can’t you just tell me where we’re going?” she asked quietly, a small smile on her lips as she closed her eyes.

“It’s a surprise, love,” he whispered in her ear, turning to wave good-bye to their mothers standing in the great hall behind them. “Hold on to me.”

Hermione clutched at the hand on her waist and the one holding her hand, and bit her bottom lip, and with a pop they apparated.

“Okay, open your eyes.”

She opened her eyes to find herself in a darkened alley between two brick buildings. It was quiet, except for the sounds of the occasional person or a car driving by. She looked out to see a park across the street, city lamps illuminating the pathways through it in the night.

“I wanted us to walk the rest of the way, but it’s only a little ways down the block,” Draco told her, a giddy smile on his face as he led her onto the street. Amused, she lifted her skirt and let herself be pulled out of the alley.

They walked out on to a street of townhouses, each made of bricks, with an iron fence around a small yard. Hermione peered curiously at her new husband who was smirking and refusing to look down at her, fighting his bubbling excitement.

“Where are we, Draco?” she asked, linking her arm in his as they walked.

“Muggle London. Kensington, I believe.” he answered casually.

“That’s rather fancy, isn’t it?”

“Is it?” he asked with an air of aloofness, not meeting his eyes as he now began excitedly reading the numbers on the houses.

They reached number 77, he stopped them in front of the steps.

“I do believe this is where I carry you through the threshold,” he said softly, pulling his wand out to flick it once, the dark wooden door opening to let out a soft warm light from the entryway.

Hermione stared ahead at the lovely building and let out a gasp. Draco grinned and swiftly knocked his bride under the knees and swept her into his arms, easily carrying her up the steps, across the path and through the door, closing behind them.

The entryway was a warm hallway with a narrow staircase on the left. A burgundy rug lay on the floor, a chestnut bench sat against the staircase with a wall mirror on the wall. To the right was the sitting room, the color scheme consisting of light blues and pale brown, and ahead of them was the hall to the kitchen and large dining room that each had large windows that looked out onto the enchanted rose garden Narcissa herself had installed.

“Our mothers helped me, and the future Mrs. Potter did quite a lot as well,” he removed his jacket and put it down on the entryway table, looking around the room proudly with his hands in his pockets. He turned to face her again.

“Do you like it?” he asked softly, linking his arms around her waist. She looked up at him with teary eyes, and they stood in silence before Hermione answered by pulling his lips down to hers and crashing them together. One hand caressed the nape of his neck, the other trailing down to his shoulder gripping him firmly. He tightened his hold on her, closing any space between them, feeling her body through the soft lace of her wedding gown.

His tongue dove into her mouth, finding hers and arising a gasp from the witch beneath him. Her fingers left his shoulder to fumble with the buttons on his shirt, the motion encouraging Draco to quickly move to her back and unzip her gown. The back of the dress gaping open, Hermione pulled the straps down and stepped out of the lace gown. She revealed an emerald green lace bra with black trim, with a matching garter knicker set.

Draco’s eyes fell hooded with lust, his hands grabbing her waist and with a turn of his heel he apparated them upstairs to their bedroom. He held her close to him, their foreheads touching as they both breathed heavily.

“You remembered how I love you in green,” he breathed huskily, rushing to have their lips meeting again. He ran his hands up and down her body as she finished unbuttoning his shirt, tugging it off of his shoulders to throw it on the ground. He nipped at her bottom lip, making her whimper, her hands tightening in his hair. He tore his mouth away from ravishing hers, making her groan at the loss, to bend down and roughly tug down her knickers.

He pressed wet open mouthed kisses to her inner thighs, and breathed on her cunt, Hermione unable to hold back her cry at the sensation. She took advantage of him being on his knees and pushed down on his shoulders to make him lie on the floor, immediately joining him.

She straddled his waist, kissing him passionately and taking both of his wrists and pinning them over his head. She held them over his head with one hand, the other moving to unbuckle his belt and pull down his trousers and boxers to his knees, his cock released. Draco let out a groan that Hermione swallowed as she latched her mouth on to his again desperately. She moved her hips up and down, rubbing her wet entrance over his hardened cock, the both of them swallowing each others’ moans. Keeping his hands pinned above his head, she spread her legs further and rose above him, and slowly sank down on him.

She let out a whimper as he growled fiercely at the feeling of her enveloping him fully. He bucked his hips involuntarily, the sight of their connecting reducing him to panting. Once she adjusted, she slowly rose off of him, whimpering again at the loss of him, before sinking back on him forcefully with a thud. The feeling of taking him back in overwhelmed her and she released his hands, placing both of them on either side of his head on the ground to support herself. His hands flew to her hips, his fingers digging into her hips as he helped begin to guide their thrusting. Their pelvises moved together in their thrusts, his hips jerking up to meet hers. Using his stomach muscles, he sat upright, pulling her legs to wrap around him, making their thrusts reach even deeper, each one rising a moan from Hermione. He tugged at her front clasping bra, making it burst open, his mouth latching on to her right breast.

“Holy shit,” she gasped, pulling his head close to her chest, her back arching and creating even deeper reaching thrusts.

He felt her walls begin to tighten around him and before he could prepare, he was coming with a growl, his hands tugging her hair to assault her mouth with his. Hearing his release made hers come crashing down with a strangled cry, milking her new husband for all he was worth. They lay sated on the ground, their lips meeting between their heavy breaths.

“I show you our new home and not only do you not see any of it, but we end up on the floor when there’s a perfectly good bed right there,” Draco finally spoke, chuckling.

“It couldn’t be helped,” she replied, smiled mischievously. She boosted herself up to loom over him and kiss him soundly, pressing her breasts against his chest.  He ran his fingers down her sides, down her thighs. Their kisses deepened as their arousals were easily stirred up again, and Draco rolled them over so that he loomed over her. He grasped her thighs, digging his fingers into them as he pulled them up to be on either side of his waist. She crossed her legs behind him and pulled him tightly to her, wantonly rubbing her wet cunt against his hardening cock once again. Draco growled and got to his knees, grasping her hips to carry her as he stood up. He carried her to press her hard against the wall next to the bed.

“I’d put you on the bed but I think I’ll save that for the finale,” he purred in her ear before latching on to her left breast, his fingers trickling down to her folds. He groaned at what he found and pressed his forehead to hers, gasping.

“You’ve got my cum on your thighs,” he breathed

She nodded, grinning before forming an O with her mouth when his fingers found her clit.

“I love the way it feels,” she gasped, arising another groan from him. He boosted her hips up and swiftly slid back into her. He swallowed her cry with a passionate kiss

“I thought I was going to curse Zabini if he had his hands on you a second longer,” he moaned

“You danced with Pansy much longer than I danced with Blaise,” she breathed out, her voice breaking with a whimper on Blaise, as Draco thrusted particularly fiercely in jealousy.

“She seems to be in denial it was my wedding, I just kept looking over her shoulder at you thinking about all the different ways I was going to fuck you later.”

Hermione met each thrust with a roll of her hips and kept her legs crossed tightly around his hips. Draco could feel her legs beginning to shake with the impending release, and found her clit to help her the rest of the way. She came with a shriek, her nails digging into his shoulders drawing blood. The feeling of her walls constricting around him was his undoing and he came with a groan, struggling to hold the both of them up.

When he caught his breath, he pressed a tender kiss to Hermione’s lips and carried her to the bed. She rolled on to her side, and Draco joined her, hugging her to him tightly.

Hermione was fighting to keep her eyes open, feeling the impending loss to sleep.

“I love you Draco,” she mumbled sleepily, laying her head on his chest.

“I love you Mrs. Malfoy,” he smiled, kissing the top of her head. She hummed contentedly and pressed a kiss to his collarbone.

“You know, I could get quite used to hearing that.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Hermione laid on the couch in her favorite sweats (Draco’s Slytherin quidditch ones), fuzzy socks, and a tight fitting tank top. Although to be fair, it’s not as though she tried to wear a tight fitting tank top, but as she was now 8 months along, there was nothing to be done about her clothes feeling too tight.

“Draco, it’s starting!” she called to her husband in the kitchen putting away groceries.

“Hold on, bloody impatient witch!” he shouted. Draco entered the room with a tray, with two chocolate milkshakes, fried pickles with ranch, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, placing it on the coffee table in front of her.

“Aw,” she cooed, sitting up and patting the seat next to her for him to sit, laying her head on his lap when he sat.

“Thank you love for the amazing spread,” she whispered, smiling, intertwining her fingers with his. He bent down to kiss her forehead, moving their hands to rest on her bump.

“You’re welcome, darling. Okay, Singing in the Rain tonight, yes?”

“Yes! This is one of my most absolute favorites, so no little comments, you pig headed arse, you got me?”

Hermione had been giving Draco a casual course in muggle film education over the course of the last several months, going through mostly old classics, as Hermione loved American stars like Marilyn Monroe and Gene Kelly.  

“I wouldn’t dream of making any snide comment, that’s completely out of my nature,” he retorted, earning a swat from his globular wife.

They nestled together, snacking and watching the musical, Draco’s hand brushing absent mindedly through her hair, the other never straying from its place intertwined with Hermione’s over her baby bump.

“What do you think about Eleanor?” Hermione asked suddenly, about halfway through the film.

“Wait, which one’s Eleanor?” Draco responded confused, worried he’d missed something in the movie.

“She’s in here, genius darling,” she giggled, tapping her finger on her belly.

“Oh!” he laughed. “Hmm. Eleanor?”

“Yes, it’s a pretty and classy name, and we can call her Ellie for short. Ellie Rose?”

Draco smiled. “I think that’s perfect, love.”

“Yeah?” she said happily.

“Definitely.”

“Well, good. That was easily done, wasn’t it?” she sighed and squeezed his hand, and returned her attention to the movie.

Draco could only half watch now, his mind happily buzzing, imaging how in a few months he’d have a little flower named Ellie Rose to hold and love, to share with Hermione forever.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be the last in this story. :( I hope you've all enjoyed it! I'd like to thank you all who've been reading this from the beginning, like OrangeCoyote and swimmer_girl <3 thank you all!!! <3 
> 
> Hopefully I can add the pictures I have soon. :P


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know last time I said this would be the last chapter, but I couldn't fit everything into a reasonably sized chapter, so there will be 2 or three more chapters after this one :)

                       

Draco awoke to his arm being pushed over gently as his wife untangled herself from his hold. He sleepily blinked his eyes awake and looked around the room, his eyes landing on Hermione. She was turned on her side away from him, her shoulders rising and falling hurriedly with her short shallow breaths. It wasn’t unusual for her to be awake during the night, with the various cramping and pains she felt 24/7.

“Is everything okay, love?” He sat up and touched her shoulder, rubbing in comforting circles.

Her shoulders rose and sunk slowly as she tried to slow her breaths. “I don’t know,” she breathed, still facing away from him.

He leapt out of bed and went to kneel by her side. Her face was scrunched up, and she bit her bottom lip in pain. Her breathing sped up again and Draco laid one hand on her stomach and with the other cupped her cheek. He couldn’t help but be reminded of the look of anguish on her face the night at the Manor, and he felt his stomach turning and his chest tighten.

She suddenly jerked in pain, and squeezed her eyes shut, a cry coming from her throat, holding her breath.

“Hermione,” Draco croaked, frantically caressing her face.

Her breath shuttered out of her, and she opened her eyes to reveal them filled with tears, one trickling down her cheek.

“It’s too early,” she cried, her voice breaking and the tears began cascading.

Draco felt his heart that once had had so many cracks and breaks until being mostly healed over the last 7 months re-break. She was struck with another pain and Draco wrapped her in his arms, one going under her head and the other going over her stomach. She buried her face in his neck and shook with her sobs. She looked up suddenly and her face was struck with grief as she looked up at him.

“My waters just broke,” she whispered, her face freezing. Draco drew back the duvet to see that yes, the sheets were now soaked.

“I’m only at 33 weeks, Draco, she’s not due for another month,” she choked out.

Draco was shaking as he hugged her to him tightly, and gave himself five seconds to panic. They hadn’t packed a bag yet, they hadn’t had their one month prenatal visit yet to set up plans with the midwife Hermione had been seeing, he had no idea how he was going to get her to a hospital, it was mid-December and they hadn’t been planning on her being here til mid-January, and Hermione was in agonizing pain, more than Draco had been expecting since she had a remarkably high tolerance for pain, unfortunately due to the circumstances of the last year.

At that thought he turned off that part of his brain, and reached for the muggle device their little part of the wizarding community had adopted, and called Harry as he held Hermione through the next contraction.

Harry answered after the fourth ring, sounding very alert for answering at 2 in the morning.

“Draco? What’s going on?”

Draco gulped to hold on to his shaking voice to tell Harry, “Hermione’s waters have broken, she’s not due for another month, and she sounds like something’s breaking her on the inside,…”

He could hear Ginny on the other end speaking hurriedly. “Draco is your floo open?” came Harry’s voice

Draco glanced to the fireplace in their bedroom. “Yes,” he croaked as Hermione was hit with another pain.

“We will be there in less than a minute. Fair warning, Ron’s here.” The call cut off and Draco dropped the phone to the ground.

“Okay love, Harry’s coming with Ginny and Ron,” he told her, wiping her tears away with his thumbs.

“Ron?” she cried. She had tried to get ahold of Ron nearly every day since the wedding, to try to make amends to keep her dear friend, but he had been evading her owls and refusing to see her when she’d floo’ed to the Burrow upon hearing he had come home from Romania, except for one mean spirited owl informing her that her efforts were futile and a waste.

“I know darling, don’t let him distract you, just take deep breaths and try to relax your muscles,” he soothed, clutching her dearly to him.

With a flash of green, Ginny entered the room fully dressed in a v-neck t-shirt, jeans and sneakers, a dangerous glare in her eyes. Harry followed seconds behind, also fully dressed

“Draco grab what you need to go, I’ve got her,” Ginny ordered, climbing on the bed to hold on to her friend. Draco kissed Hermione’s forehead and dashed into their large closet to put clothes on over his boxers he’d been sleeping in. Harry ran to kneel where Draco had been, and Ginny left Hermione’s side.

“Okay sweets, I’m going to pack a bag from the nursery,” Ginny told her as she jogged out of the room.

Harry swept the hair that was sticking to her sweaty brow away, and tucked it behind her ear, letting her white-knuckle squeeze his arm as she felt the next pain. Harry pressed kisses to the top of her head.

“Hermione if anyone can do this it’s you,” he whispered in her ear, rubbing her shoulder.

Another flash of green came from the fireplace and Ron entered the room. He stumbled on entry and he looked around the room, registering that this was the bedroom that his long time enemy shared with who he had considered the love of his life. His eyes locked on to Hermione curled up in Harry’s arms, and he felt his stance waver at seeing her in so much pain. Draco entered the room again, just as Hermione let out a gasped yelp and he felt his knees buckle.

Ron was also affected at the sound, and his gaze fell upon Draco. His mouth curled into a snarl.

“What have you done to her,” he growled, starting to lunge on him.

“RONALD!” Ginny shouted, throwing a pastel duffel bag into the middle of the room, moving to shove her brother.

“Harry take him to St.Mungo’s, warn them that we’re coming,” she demanded, taking Harry’s spot with Hermione. “Draco I couldn’t find the baby blanket, do you know where it is?” she asked, as Harry grabbed his friend by the arm and floo’ed to the hospital.

“Oh it’s in the living room, she finished embroidering her name,” he mumbled to no one in particular, running his fingers through his hair painfully, walking quickly out of the room.

“Okay babe,” Ginny helped Hermione sit up slowly. “Draco will carry you and I’ll take the bag and be right behind you.”

Hermione gritted her teeth as the next pain rocked through her.

“Ginny, don’t let Ron get to Draco, he’s going to feel guilty as it is,” she breathed.

“I won’t let my idiot brother do anything, it was Harry’s idea to bring him at all,” she murmured, reaching over to the bed post to grab Hermione’s robe, helping her put it on.

Draco reentered the room clutching fiercely to a small lavender blanket and stuffed it into the duffel bag Ginny had thrown into the room minutes earlier.

“Alright, loves, let’s get this going,” Ginny announced. “Draco you get Hermione and I’ll throw the floo powder in for you, and then you say St. Mungo’s, and I’ll be right behind you with the bag.”

Draco was immediately at Hermione’s feet at the side of the bed. “I’m so sorry darling, I know this hurts, wrap your arms around my neck,” he told her, his voice thick with unshed tears, gently sweeping an arm under her back and under her knees.

He lifted her with ease, even with the extra weight she was carrying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are definite motivators for me to focus on writing! Thank you guys for reading!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long, a lot of editing went into this. Enjoy the fluffy smutty scene :)

His legs carried him up the stairs through the dark house, silent except for the faint sound of water running through the pipes to Hermione’s bath. His body was sore and weak, his mind in not much better shape after a week of sitting in hospital rooms helpless for his wife and daughter’s health. Now after going to his mother’s and the market while Hermione returned home with help from Ginny, he truly felt run ragged, and wanted nothing more than to fall into bed and sleep for days.

But as he reached the landing, his feet stopped at the door before his bedroom, and he was tugged by an invisible source into the nursery.

The room was lit only by a dim wall scone, above the lacey bassinet that held her. The room glowed from the moonlight in the late hours of the night, glimmering with the slow falling snow.

His Ellie Rose lay asleep, her golden chocolate eyes closed, her thin pale curls matted against her head. She had come into the world at only 4 pounds and 15 inches. Her little hand could barely grip his pinky finger. Draco kneeled next to her cradle, his chest tightening as he watched her tiny chest rise and fall quickly. His hand hovered over her, desperate to do something comforting but so scared that any slight force would be enough to damage her delicate little body.

She had gotten her mother’s looks, thank goodness, he thought to himself. Her eyes were big and round, her nose like a button, her lips perfectly heart shaped. She was pale, too pale, he grimaced.

He’d come so close to losing them both. Hermione had needed an emergency c-section, because of the early labor and because Ellie’s heart rate was too slow and faint, and the cord was nearly pre-lapsed. Hermione had lost so much blood and passed out during the procedure, Draco helpless to do anything for her. He was stuck in the hall for hours, sitting on the ground with his head in his hands resting on his knees, while healers hurried in and out of the room.

Draco had held Eleanor for a matter of minutes before healers rushed her off to the premature infant ward for testing, while Hermione remained unconscious. In those few minutes Draco fell smitten with his little girl, her eyes seeming strangely aware despite being born in such dangerous circumstances.

And he was barely allowed in the room with Hermione even after she’d woken up and had several transfusions.

He was so caught up in watching his daughter’s breathing he didn’t hear the bathroom door open, or hear the soft carpeted footsteps of his wife entering the room through the door that connected their bedroom to the nursery.

She stood behind him, her eyes watering upon noticing Draco’s avid watching of their daughter’s tiny lungs pump breath in and out of her.

She leaned over and gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

“Draco, you need to sleep,” she whispered in her broken voice.

“I’m so scared if I look away her heart will give out or something,” he responded, not letting his gaze leave his little flower.

She squeezed her eyes shut as the tears welled up painfully.

  
“She will be okay. She nursed really well before she fell asleep, the healers said she’s going to be fine.”

Draco nodded, giving himself a few more seconds before wiping his eyes, standing, and turning around to face his wife.

She glistened in the glow of the moon, her long damp golden curls all hanging over one shoulder, in her purple silk robe loosely tied around her waist. Her eyes shined with tears she was determined to not let fall as she met Draco’s.

“How are you feeling?” he asked softly.

“I’m okay, I promise,” she lightly laughed, hugging her arms around herself. She didn’t know why, but she felt hesitant as she stood before him. There was a slight twinge of guilt that she felt, causing this much stress for him, feeling weak and insufficient, unconfident with her body after feeling like she failed at nature’s most universal process.

 Draco could sense the distance between them and took the four steps towards her to remedy it, wrapping his arms around her waist and leaned down, nestling his face into the crook of her neck.

“I was so scared,” he gasped against her skin, his arms wrapping vice-like around her waist clutching her to him.

Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and cried into his chest. “I’m so sorry,” she sobbed.

He froze and released one arm to cup her cheek and tilt her head up to him.

“Why would you even think to apologize to me?” he whispered, pressing his forehead to hers as his thumb stroked her cheek.

“I feel like I wasn’t strong enough-“

“That’s just complete shit, love. The only reason you are alive is because of how strong you are,” he urged, furious that she was putting the blame on herself.

“Having a baby is such a natural thing, and I couldn’t even do it-“

“I’m not indulging your guilt, ‘mione. You heard what the healers said as well as I did. You were put through extreme physical torment through the last year, it’s a miracle that she survived through the first few weeks!”

She squeezed her eyes shut as her tears cascaded down her face. He held her in his arms, burying his nose in her curls, breathing her in. He kissed the top of her head, then pulled back to kiss her forehead, her temples, her eyes, her nose, her cheeks. He tilted her chin up to meet his eyes, forcing her to open hers.

“Never apologize to me ever again.”

She nodded, and smiled through her tears before boosting up on her toes and pressing her lips to his. He couldn’t help the whimpered moan that escaped as he met her kiss forcefully. He had spent so much of the last week thinking he’d never get to kiss her again. The feel of her lips against his was enough to make the edges of his eyes sting with tears. He began to walk her backwards to press her body against the wall. She gasped as she parted her lips to deepen the kiss. Her hands gripped his shoulders, arching her back as his mouth made his way down her neck, causing her pelvis to brush against his. She smirked slightly when the contact rose a gasp out of Draco.

Draco pulled away breathing heavily. He hadn’t intended the kiss to become so heated. Hermione had only gotten home today, she needed to heal and rest. He took her hands in his and placed a chaste kiss to her lips.

Hermione quirked an eyebrow at him, when he pulled her with him through the door into their bedroom.

The fire was burning out, and the large window reflected the shadow of the snow falling into the room. He climbed on the bed, lying against the pillows and pulling her with him. He wrapped an arm around her waist, moving her to lay her head on his chest.

Hermione felt restless after the feverish snog, to now only be subdued into a cuddle. It wasn’t as if Draco was uninterested, she’d felt the hardness when she’d grinded against him. She was determined to pick up where he’d stopped them.

She slid her right hand up his chest, up his neck, to cradle his face. She gazed up at him intensely, and slowly rose up on her knees to bend over him. His breath caught in his throat as she took his head in her hands and pressed their mouths together.

She kissed him urgently yet gently, hoping to convey in their shared space how much she needed him and wanted him. She needed him to know he didn’t need to be careful with her, she would not break. Draco met her kisses timidly, obviously attempting to not let their actions go past a certain point.

Growing impatient, she gripped his shirt in her fists.

“Draco, the healers say I’m fine, please touch me, kiss me,” she begged. He closed his eyes and bit his lip in a pained expression. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What if I hurt you?” he whispered, his eyes remaining closed.

“You won’t,” she assured, “They healed me up well, I’m good as new. Just please, please, Draco, I want you so badly,” her voice breaking in desperation.

In a matter of a couple seconds he had flipped her onto her back, his eyes darkened with lust and his arms on either side of her head.

“If you are in even the slightest bit of pain, you need to tell me,” he warned, his nose going to nuzzle hers.

She nodded and then pulled his shirt down to lower him to her lips.

Their lips met deeply and passionately, nips at bottom lips releasing whimpers, tongues massaging causing whispered groans. Hermione pushed at the collar of his jacket, and he leaned back to throw it to the side, Hermione leaning up with him to avoid separating their mouths. She grabbed the bottom of his gray t shirt and pulled it up over his head to throw the offending garment to the side with his jacket.

She ran her thumbs over his nipples, reveling in the whimpers that escaped his lips. His head fell to her neck, nipping and kissing at her secret spot. She dug her fingers gently into his sides, caressing his well sculpted abdomen. She grabbed his waist, lifting her hips to grind their pelvises together.

He growled deeply and got back up on his knees. He took in her appearance, her curls were thrown all over the pillows, her eyes hooded in her passion, her lips swollen from being kissed so thoroughly, her chest heaving with her heavy breathes.

He couldn’t believe he’d almost lost her. He had no clue what he would have done if she’d not made it. Of course if Ellie survived, he’d just have to survive for her? But Ellie could have not made it either, and then there really would have been no reason for him to even breathe, let alone live.

He tried to shake his thoughts and blink away the tears. Right now was about pleasing her, reminding her of how he loved her, reminding himself that she was here, she was okay and she loved him too.

His hands tugged at the tie of her robe and he yanked it open, aggressively opening the display of her body to him. What he saw cracked his resolve.

A light pink scar, a line between her hips, now marred the once perfect skin of her stomach. Another scar for her to keep.

“Draco?” she asked softly, suddenly feeling self conscious, pulling the silk of her robe back over to cover her.

“No,” he demanded, sounding stern through his tears. He tugged the robe back off of her body, yanking it off of her shoulders and away from her body to throw it with his clothes on the floor.

He leaned up to kiss her tenderly, slowly moving down her body kissing his way down. When he reached the scar, he kissed along the entire line, caressing her stomach with his hands.

“I can’t believe I almost lost you,” he whispered, not meeting her eyes. He felt her running her hands through his hair to comfort him. He leaned into her touch and gazed up at her.

“She looks just like you,” he kissed the area below the scar above her mound.

“She has your hair and cheekbones,” she gasped as he slid a finger inside her, using his thumb to rub circles around her clit. Her thighs tightened around his arm that was working her, his other hand going up to roll her left and then right nipple between his thumb and forefinger. She mewled and keened, gripping the sheets and arching her back.

He slid another finger in, stretching her further. He continued fucking her with his fingers and watching her melt under his ministrations. Her breathing was ragged which he took as a queue to remove his fingers and replace them with his mouth, taking her clit between his lips and sucking gently.

With that she was undone scream, with Draco lapping up her juices, rubbing her clit to drag it out. She laid back on the pillow, trying to catch her breath, laughing lightly in her euphoric state.

“Take your pants off,” she commanded breathlessly. Draco rose from the bed and took off his jeans and boxer briefs, his eyes never leaving her face.

He climbed back on the bed over her. “Are you sure you won’t be in pain?”

“Draco please just get inside me, I need you so badly,” she whined, pulling his head up to hers.

He was incapable of denying her anything. He kissed her nose and positioned himself and slowly eased himself into her. Moans were emitted by both at the feeling of being so connected after so long.

He busied his mouth with licking and sucking on her neck and breasts. He slowly drew out, Hermione whimpering immediately from the loss. He slowly began easing back in, his body shaking from holding off. Hermione was exhausted from being treated so fragilely, taking matters into her own hands by wrapping her legs around his hips and tugging him forward so he reentered her with a single thrust.

Her head fell back with a moan while a growl shook from his chest. He fiercely withdrew and pounded back into her another time. He settled into an aggressive yet tender pace, tucking her legs into his elbows, raising them and spreading them to reach deeper within her.

“Oh fuck yes,” he moaned, each thrust now burying him in to the hilt. Hermione met each thrust, rolling her hips, mewling and panting.

“So beautiful, so fucking perfect,” he breathed

“My,…new.. scar.. doesn’t…..bother you?” she panted out.

He leaned up to kiss her relentlessly, tucking her legs up higher, reaching even deeper, their skin slapping together with each thrust.

“You have never been sexier or more beautiful, ‘mione,” he groaned. “I promise.”

With one hand she fondled her own breast, the other cupped his cheek to kiss him sloppily and deeply. Feeling her finish impending, she focused both hands on her breasts, and squeezed her walls around him.

“Fuck, ‘mione, yes roll them,” he grunted, and with that Hermione screamed and cried out his name, arching her back so deeply Draco reached forward and licked her nipples, nipping at them. He raised her legs even higher to wrap around his neck, pounding her into the mattress.

With a roar Draco spilled into her, his hips jerking erratically, grinding his pelvic bone over her clit, throwing Hermione into another bout of bliss. Their hands intertwined over Hermione’s head, her legs falling back down on the bed on either side of him, as Draco plundered her mouth.

“Love of my life,” he sighed, catching his breath, “My wife, mother of my daughter, my gorgeous vixen, nothing could ever make you less beautiful to me.”

She hugged her legs around him, refusing to untangle from him, burying her face in his neck.

“I love you,” she whispered, feeling her eyes fall to sleep.

“I love you,” he said softly, kissing her shoulder, before too feeling himself surrender to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be our last!! I hope you guys have enjoyed the story, and I hope I end it well for you guys.


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the end! It's a very very long chapter, just some nice fluff and smut for us to send off our characters to live in. Thank you all so much for reading, this has been my first story and I'm so excited to get better and better with writing as I go on.

17 months later :)

The early morning sky glowed a light peach against the dark fading night sky. Draco blinked his eyes awake, a sliver of the morning light slipping through their flowy curtains to fall across his eyes. He smiled and lightly tightened the arm that was wrapped around the waist of his wife of now two years. He shifted to gently press kisses up her shoulder, up her neck.

She hummed sweetly and stretched her body, her back arching and pushing her pert bottom against his groin. She turned in his arms and leaned her head back to look up at him.

“Happy anniversary,” he whispered huskily into her ear, enjoying the chill he gave her, his hands going to grip her waist and slide down to her hips. He admired her body, the body he made sure to worship daily. She had put on weight since the war, her scarred belly now soft, her thighs thicker and stronger, her tits rounder and fuller from becoming a mother. She had only become more beautiful, and he made it his task to remind her of that fact.

“Happy anniversary,” she responded, smiling and caressing his cheeks with her thumbs, pressing her bare breasts to his naked chest.

Pulling his face to hers she enveloped his lips. His hands gripped her thighs, parting them to grind his hardening cock against her heat. The contact shocked a gasp out of Hermione, her open mouth giving Draco the opportunity to plunder her mouth. Her fingers tangled in the hair on the nape of his neck, tugging as she arched her back meeting his kisses and undulating hips.

Without warning Draco flipped her on to her back, arising another gasp from his wife, and pressed his hard body against hers. He kept his pelvis grinding on her now damp mons and kept her thighs obscenely wide and opened to him.

“Draco…Draco,” she panted, turning her head to take fevered breaths. He moved his attentions to her neck, allowing her to breathe. He nipped and licked at the sensitive skin, sucking on the flesh he had already marked some night before.

Her dainty elegant hand flew to wrap around his length and caress it with her fist. He growled appreciatively and took her earlobe between his teeth before licking down her jaw line to make his way down her body.

“Please, Draco,” she pleaded as his movements traveled down to the juncture between her legs, his face hovering above taking in her arousal.

“What, love?” he breathed. He looked up to her face, with eyes clouded in lust and desire.

“Don’t waste any time, I’m wet enough, I swear,” she reached at his shoulders trying to pull him back up to her. He moved just out of her reach, ducking to dive his mouth into her folds.

“FUCK!” she shrieked, her hips bucking and her fists gripping the sheets. He parted his lips and penetrated her with his tongue, his lips sucking on her labia. Her head slammed back into the pillows her mouth open in a silent cry. He pushed his palms against her inner thighs to keep them spread apart as he devoured her. He leaned up to nudge her clit with his nose before diving back in.

He loved driving her to madness, watching her writhe around so near snapping. She made the sexiest moans, her mouth never closing. Her hands in the sheets were providing no release, so she let them do what they wanted and pushed on Draco’s head to push him closer to her.

With a sucking of her clit and his thumbs playing with her outer folds she came crashing down with a mixed cry and guttural moan. A wave of arousal flooded his mouth and he growled at the taste, the vibration of the sound impounding her already intense orgasm, and she went limp in a choked wail.

“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching you do that,” Draco whispered as he crawled up her body. He licked around her left nipple and then blew air gently on it, administering the same treatment to the right one.

Her chest was heaving from her blinding orgasm but she shoved at his shoulder forcing him on his back. She sat up and moved to straddle his stomach. Under her folds she felt the crisp hairs that trailed from his navel to his cock and even that little bit of friction made her whimper. He watched her face as she took deep breaths trying to recover.

Carefully she shifted down, getting on her knees briefly, one on either side of his hips. She took his cock in one hand and raised over him before slickly impaling herself, to the hilt.

She cried out at being filled so deeply and quickly, his head falling back with a gasped “Shit” and his hands flew to her ass.

Once she adjusted she raised off of him and took him back in swiftly, both of them groaning. They began their thrusting rhythm, aggressive and passionate, his hands splayed out on her back and his thumbs tucked into her arm pits to help raise her. Their eyes were locked on each other, black with desire.

“You are so perfect, love,…,” he croaked. “I kind of thought after so many times, fucking you might lose a bit of its novelty, but I,….” he had to pause to curse at a certain thrust, “every time is incredible.”

She moaned wantonly and leaned on her hands pressed into his chest. She rotated her hips in circles, grinding with him nestled inside her.  

“And god I love your cunt,” he groaned, tilting his head up to look at where they were joined, quickly falling back on to the pillows with a gasp and a buck of his hips.

“I love your cock, Draco,” she purred, squeezing her walls briefly.

Draco snarled and wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled them over. He spread her legs like before, forcing them to hang off the bed as his hips kept them apart.

“You like what it does to you?” he growled, thrusting so his balls hit her ass. She moaned what was interpreted as a “Yes!”

“You like that it has nailed you into the mattress so much that when we get up there’s a full imprint of your body left?” She bit her lip and dug her nails into his back. 

“How it stretches you? How I could impregnate you with it?” He leaned up to nestle his face between her breasts, sucking the flesh between his teeth.

“God, yes,” she groaned, pulling his face to hers, kissing him passionately.

He felt the tightening in his balls and picked up the thrusting, making sure to deliberately dig into her clit with his pelvic bone. The violent thrusting broke their kiss, leaving them to breathe into each other, their foreheads resting together.

“Come on beautiful,” he growled in her ear, causing her to whimper. “Come for me, kitten. Soak my cock, Mrs. Malfoy.”

With a wanton scream she came, her walls constricting around him, the tightness finishing him and he came with a roar of her name.

They panted out their climaxes, kissing with lazy grins. Without removing himself from her, he rolled them over on their sides.

“I love you, Draco,” she mumbled as sleep reclaimed her.

“I love you, darling,” he kissed the top of her head and wrapped her in his arms and surrendered to sleep once more.

An hour later, he woke up to the baby alarm chirping. He untangled himself, and found he’d slipped out of her during their nap. He kissed her cheek and stood up from the bed, and threw on a pair of black silk sweatpants and a slim fitting white t-shirt. Before exiting the room he picked up his wand and quickly waved out the several floral arrangements he’d hidden around the room, smiling smugly to himself at his first little surprise of the day.

“Is my little flower awake?” he called softly, entering the hall to go into his daughter’s room.

He heard a little voice call “Daddy!” He grinned widely and turned the corner into the room. “There’s my darling girl,” he cooed, moving to her crib.

She sat up in her little bed, dressed in a white cotton nightgown, her blond curls tied up in a little ribbon, she hugged a teddy bear under one arm, and a picture book splayed open out in front of her. When she looked up to see Draco standing beside the crib, her face lit up and she raised her little pudgy arms, calling “Daddy” again.

He swooped her up into his arms, hugging her closely and adjusting her to sit in his arm and rest her head on his chest. She buried her face in his neck and wrapped her arms around him.

“Are you hungry, love?” he asked softly, kissing her nose. She nodded shyly. He kissed her forehead and tightened his arm holding her and walked them down to the kitchen.

Draco treasured these kinds of mornings. Since he’d entered Auror training and then began going on missions, he often didn’t get to shag his wife in the morning, or feed his daughter breakfast. It had been a lot of work and a lot of time away from his young family, but the opportunity to prove his loyalty to the new ministry and help hunt down Death Eaters was one he couldn’t make himself walk away from. The work was worth it to begin to feel like he had deserved all the good he had received from people he felt he had only done wrong.

He set her carefully on the counter so she could sit with him while he prepared her breakfast, cooking up some oatmeal and cutting up some strawberries. He let her stir the spoon in the pot, his arm wrapping around her little waist to keep her away from the heat. They ate off of a little tray, sitting on the floor of the living room.

Hermione had insisted on raising Ellie with muggle and magical ways. They would cook the muggle way, but use their wands to clean things up. They had a TV, but also read her wizarding stories. They used the floo network, but they also owned a car. Draco was happy to give his daughter the open minded loving childhood he just hadn’t gotten, to show her a way to live comfortably with muggle and magical traditions.

In the midst of giggles over the silly faces formed with strawberry slices and blueberries, Hermione walked into the room, dressed in her pajamas and a long sweater with a peony tucked behind her ear. Her smile brightened at the sight of her daughter and husband so sweetly snuggled together.

“Mommy!” Ellie cheered, raising her arms in the air reaching for Hermione. Draco waved the dirty dishes away with his wand and stood as Hermione swooped down to wrap Ellie up in her arms. She peppered kisses all over her baby’s face, Draco and Hermione reveling in the bubbling giggles that their daughter made.

“The flowers are beautiful,” Hermione said softly.

Draco hummed contentedly in response, a slightly smug grin appearing on his face.

“Flowers?” Ellie played with a tangle of Hermione’s hair, twisting it around her finger.

“Daddy put a whole garden of flowers in our room, you wanna go see ‘em and get dressed?” Hermione bounced Ellie gently in her arms, raising a bemused eyebrow at Draco.

Ellie nodded happily, and Hermione kissed the top of her head and made to leave the room.

“Darling, I’ll run to the market to get the rest of the supplies for tonight while you get Ellie ready,” Draco offered as the three of them climbed back up the stairs.

“That would be lovely, the list is on the counter,” Hermione responded, placing Ellie on the middle of the bed.

“Remind me the head count as of now?”

Hermione paused, recounting in her head. “5 plus us,” she answered, nodding her head in agreement with herself.

“Not 6?” Draco asked gently, pulling jeans from the dresser and putting them on over his boxers.

Hermione’s lips formed a tight line, her eyes not meeting Draco’s as she crossed the room to the drawer with Ellie’s pre-picked outfit for the day.

“No, just 5,” she breathed tiredly. Draco pulled a fresh t-shirt over his head and moved over to kiss Hermione’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, love,” he offered, feeling bad for bringing Ron up. He couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit jealous at the way Hermione missed Ron, but he mostly just felt awful knowing there was someone out there causing her pain.

Hermione turned around and smiled. Placing her hands on his chest, she looked up into his eyes.

“I’m not sorry, Draco,” she assured him, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t change a thing about my life, you have made me the happiest girl there has ever been.”

Draco grinned and kissed her lips gently but deeply. He pulled away, after grabbing her left hand to kiss the ring on her fourth finger.

“Alright, I’m off,” he announced, turning to give Ellie a big smooch on her cheek, blowing a raspberry on her adorable face, loving the giggle it rose from her. He picked a baby pink rose from the arrangement that sat on the table next to the bed, and gave it to his daughter before making his way out the door.

 

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 “Where is my goddaughter?!”

Draco was brushed aside immediately after opening the door, Ginny dashing through the foyer to the stairs to go up to Ellie’s room.

“Welcome, Ginny, yes thank you for the congratulations on our two year anniversary!” Draco called up the stairs, amused. The she-Weasel had never been high on his list of favorite people, but ever since he’d gotten to know her he’d become more and more fond of her. She was a fearless woman, a perfect godmother to his daughter.

“Based on how she acts when she’s around Ellie you’d think she’d be more eager to finally marry me so we can start having our own kids,” Harry joked, walking past Draco to put down the wine and gift he and Ginny had brought in the kitchen. Draco took the bottle from him, uncorking it and pouring it into two glasses.

“Your time will come, isn’t it better to have waited until training was over?”

Harry nodded reluctantly. “I guess.”

Draco smiled sympathetically at his friend. “She’ll come around, mate.”

The front door bust open and the voices of Luna, Neville, and Blaise entered the house.

“Love, we should have knocked on the door,” Neville’s voice spoke from the foyer

“Why, they know we’re coming?” Luna’s dreamy voice responded, traveling through the hall into the kitchen.

She carried a large plant, with bright orange pods on dark green stems

“Hello Draco, we’ve brought you a dirigible plum,” Luna greeted, setting the pot down on the counter before kissing him on the cheek. “Hello Harry!”

“Um thank you, Luna, we’ve always wanted one?” he flustered, still not quite used to the odd ways of the kind witch.

Neville grinned apologetically upon entering the room, shaking Draco’s hand. “Sorry about that,” he chuckled.

Blaise strutted in the room, running a hand through his hair. “Hey Drake, congrats mate,” he greeted, embracing his friend. “Where’s your old lady, gotta congratulate her too you know,” he said waggling his eyebrows.

Draco rolled his eyes with a grin.  “Just taking for-fucking-ever to get ready,” he complained and turned into the hall to yell up the stairs.

“’Mione, everyone’s here if that’s quite alright with you! Ginny get down here with my daughter!”

“You watch your tone with me Malfoy or she’ll mysteriously disappear when I leave this evening!” Ginny’s disembodied voice shouted back.

Draco heard his bedroom door open and turned his head to see his wife descend the stairs.

“Someone’s in a right foul mood for a person celebrating their anniversary,” she commented, putting on her pearl earrings that Narcissa gave her the day of her wedding. Draco was dazzled as she approached him. Her hair was blown out in soft waves, she wore a silk lilac dress, the same color she wore on their “first date”, with a halter neckline, the waist hugging her tightly and the skirt flowed loosely. She wore sparkling gold stilettos.

“You look amazing,” he whispered when she was standing in front of him. “Whose idea was this dinner party again?”

“I do believe it was your idea originally,” she replied timidly, after two years of marriage she still felt her heart burst with each compliment she received from him.

He closed the gap between them by grabbing her waist and gently caressing her lips with his. Although there was something to be said for frantic deep passionate kisses, these were the kinds that turned her to jelly in his arms, feeling so utterly adored as he kissed her as though she was precious.

A door upstairs slammed closed and Ginny held Ellie in her arm, cooing at her as they climbed down the stairs. The couple broke apart sheepishly and Hermione squeezed his hand before heading into the kitchen to greet her friends. Draco held his arms out to Ginny for Ellie, only to be swatted away and pushed past with a defiant smirk.

 

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Four hours later, Draco was giving Ellie a kiss on the cheek before settling her sleeping body into her crib. Although she’d had an afternoon nap, all the excitement from all the people playing with her at dinner had exhausted her. She'd been handed from friend to friend, each wanting their own chance to hold her. Draco felt so grateful that his daughter had so many doting aunts and uncles, so many people around her to make her feel loved. 

He pushed a curl of her hair behind her ear, checked to make sure that the baby monitor was on and went back into his bedroom. The door to the bathroom attached to their bedroom was wide open. The room was dim, lit only by candles. He could see the back of Hermione’s head leaning against the edge of the tub.

Draco grinned and picked out a small box from the drawer in his nightstand before going into the bathroom to join her.

Without alerting her to his presence, he undressed quietly watching her from behind. Her eyes were closed in relaxation and her breasts rose and fell slowly with the movement of her breathing. When he was void of all clothing he kneeled behind her with the small velvet box, opening it to take out the thin diamond band. Leaning down to kiss her neck, making her flinch with the sudden contact she hadn’t been expecting, he ran his left hand holding the ring down her left arm before stopping at her finger tips and sliding the ring onto her left ring finger.

“What is this Draco?” she breathed, noticing how the band immediately fitted around her preexisting ring.

“Happy Anniversary, darling,” he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. He lifted each of his legs on either side of hers in the tub, and pushed her gently forward and then up to slide so she laid against his chest. She couldn’t ignore the obvious hardness now pressing into her back, and Draco held back a groan at the friction she caused when she rotated her hips.

“Did you enjoy the evening?” she finally asked, her breath hitching in her throat as his mouth started lavishing kisses over her neck, one hand moving to massage her folds, the other wrapping around her waist and grasping at her left breast.

“Truth be told I sat there most of dinner wishing they’d all leave,” he purred in her ear, tugging at her nipple. Her hands flew up to cover both of his, gyrating over his body.

“Why?” she breathed

“Blaise was being too flirty with you and I wanted you and Ellie to myself.”

She hummed in response, too wrapped up in the sensations to come up with a coherent response.

Feeling the surge of jealousy refueled at the reminder of Blaise’s behavior he lifted her hips and slipped completely inside her in one swift motion.

“Oh my god,” she gasped at being filled so completely. She arched her back and wrapped her arm behind her around his neck. He wrapped one of his arms around her waist squeezing her breast, the other gripped her hip as he began moving her over him in constant spiral motions.

Draco lavished at the sensitive skin in the crook of her neck, biting, sucking, and licking. The sound of the water splashing in the tub with their frantic movement and the sounds of their moans and panting filled the room, heightening the arousal.

“Fuck I’m so close,” she whimpered, her back arched and her hands assisted his, encouraging him to pluck hard at her nipple and to rub furiously over her clit.

“Look in the mirror to the side, love,” he rumbled, gesturing to the full length mirror that hung on the wall across from the bathtub. Her eyes widened at the sight of them, the water splashing violently, the two of them wrapped up so closely together.

With that she was letting go, crying out a guttural groan and falling back onto his chest. She panted heavily, emitting sweet whimpers and mewls all with Draco’s hardness still inside of her.

He carefully lifted her by her hips, not enough to pull out but just to turn her around to face him, straddling his legs.

“I want to see your face,” he breathed heavily, moving his hands to pull her mouth to his to plunder her mouth, loving the moans each shift was arising from Hermione.

“So fucking sexy,” he growled into her mouth beginning to thrust into her again. Feeling another orgasm nearby, Hermione worked her hips with his, keeping their mouths together with one hand on his neck, while the other dug her nails into his back.

Draco grunted with each thrust, struggling with not recklessly pounding into her.

“Come on, love, give it to me,” she groaned encouragingly, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly to brace herself.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and let his hips pound into her relentlessly, moaning louder and louder until he came with an animalistic growl of her name. His completion brought her second slamming down on her, tightening around him milking him for everything he could give her, loving the way he filled her utterly perfectly.

They laid intertwined several minutes longer, then draining the tub and drying off before climbing into bed together.

“Did you have a good anniversary?” he asked softly, several minutes after getting to bed. They laid facing each other on their sides, Draco running his fingers through her hair.

“It was perfect,” she answered, curling closer to Draco.

“Thank you so much for being so wonderful to my friends,” she thanked sweetly, caressing his cheek. “I know it’s hard for you sometimes, I appreciate it so much.”

“I’ll do anything for you, love,” he assured her, his smile turning into a yawn. “Plus I don’t really mind them anymore. They’re growing on me.”

His eyes closed, and he tightened his arm around her waist, burying his nose in her hair.

“Don’t worry, Draco. I won’t tell.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 <3 I hope I ended it alright. Let me know! <3


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